Mi Bella
by BellaMarizo
Summary: Dannys' always had trouble with family, but what if his only chance of a real family was being threatened, again. What if Danny Messer had a daughter? and someone was trying to kill her. CSI is now protecting family.
1. Chapter 1

He's in the elevator, shuffling his feet. Trying to relax, waiting for that ding that tells him that he's reached the 25th floor, penthouse, of "The Alexander" hotel.

This should be routine by now. Mac calls him and tells him the situation and where. He gets up and gets ready to work. That's how it always was.

"Ding" He enters the hallway, but not as a CSI.

Everything was where it should have been. A couple of uniforms crowed around doing their jobs. The familiar yellow tape informing others that a crime was committed. Flashes from a couple of cameras. People buzzing around, getting everything from point A to point B. normally he'd be concerned by the same things concerning everyone else, but not tonight.

"Hey, Danny" Flack stops talking to Mac and acknowledges his friend.

"Danny, I called you like 6 minutes ago." Mac Taylor turns around. "How'd you get here so fast?"

The young man briskly walks, worried toward his coworkers.

"Where is she?" he ignores his supervisors' question.

"Who?" Mac asks.

"Daddy?" a scared, little voice above everyone else's.

Danny Messer releases a sigh of relief, hearing the voice of the one person he's been thinking of since Mac gave him the address of the scene. He walks pass his colleagues and sees her.

A young lady, to herself but always a child in his eyes, distraught and shaky, sitting on the couch. She was wearing her pajamas and a blanket the paramedics offer to any and every innocent bystander. She left Stella, who was questioning her, in mid sentence, stood up and ran into Danny's awaiting open arms.

Thank God she was alive. He thought to himself as he was holding her, listening to her. She seemed all right. She could walk. She could still remember him. She didn't have any blood or visible wounds on her. She could talk, hug, and cry. Everything was the same; her jet-black long hair, her 5'3 frame and her voice in little whimpers and indecipherable words. Everything was alright. He holds her in the tightest embrace, never letting her go ever again. He should have been there to protect her.

"You know her?" Stella asks, walking towards the two.

"She didn't say Danny." Mac corrects his partner.

"Daddy… _takot na takot ako / _I was so scared," the distressed girl, 13 of age, says in between sobs against the older blonde man's shoulder, on the verge of tears himself.

"It's gonna be alright baby…" He coos into her ear trying to calm her down. "Daddy's here."


	2. Chapter 2

"I think its safe to say that Danny isn't working this case" Det. Don Flack tells the marine.

"Did you know anything about this" He asks the detective.

"I'm just as surprised as you are." He exclaims a reply. "The kid is Rubella Ruiz-Cooper.; Daughter of Elsa Ruiz and step-daughter of former Ambassador Jeremy Cooper, US ambassador to the Philippines. He was promoted and transferred here 11 months ago, been here ever since."

"Where is he now?" Det. Stella Bonasarra asks.

"Out with his wife, Gala dinner for the Governor in the Hamptons" the taller man answers.

"You said step-daughter." Mac says.

"Yeah" he confirms "While in the Philippines, he met and married Elsa Ruiz 8 years ago."

They stop to look them. Danny was on the couch with her. She had her legs on his lap. He had her in his arms, rocking her from side to side, whispering soothing words into her ear. It seemed to work. Her arms were around his neck, her head on his shoulder and her face in the crook of his neck. She was responding to everything that he said, nodding and replying in Tagalog. They seemed understand each other. He was even singing to her, comforting her. He gave her a fatherly kiss on the forehead.

"Hey," Dr. Sheldon Hawkes said as he approached them.

All three of officers nod in acknowledgment.

"Hey, what did you find?" Mac asked the ME.

"Male victim; 36 yr. old, Filipino. He's ID as Hector Lopez, one of the girls' bodyguards. One minor shot on the shoulder and a trough-and-trough his chest. He's only been dead for a couple of hours, 2 maybe 3 at the most. The help said that it was the girl who found him dead in the pool of his own blood. They found her in the kitchen after they heard her scream." The young black man read from his notepad. Then his vision wanders to where his co-works were looking at.

"Is it true?" he asked them. He got their attention and rephrased his question. "Is Danny a daddy?"

"Honestly," the Greek woman answers. "We don't know."

"He never talked about having a child." The oldest of the men added.

"And that's something we'd remember if he did." Homicide detective added.

Stella: "Well, she's 13 years old. That's a decade before any of us ever met Danny."

Mac: "And if he is the father, how'd he and Elsa Ruiz of the Philippines meet."

Don: "And why hide it? Even from us."

Right then the elevator opened and walks in a police-escorted couple. A woman in her mid 30's dark hair and olive skin, in a dark fur coat followed by an older gentleman in a tuxedo. She was 5'5 and all dressed up, complete hair and make-up She removes her coat revealing a long teal gown and impressive diamonds on both ears and around her neck as well as around her right wrist. He was in his late 40's, standing at 6'2 with graying hair and blue eyes. He held his coat over his right arm. They were easily recognizable as Jeremy and Elsa Cooper. They were in a hurry and they were pointed to Mac Taylor and his team.

"Are you in charge here?" he asked the lead CSI in a demanding voice.

"Yes, Mrs. Cooper we…" before he could even finish his sentence, he knew it wouldn't matter.

Her attention was now focused on the sight across the room. Her hands clamp into fists when she sees them on the couch. Her jaw clenched as she stomps across the foyer, her heels clicking on the marble floor.

"Get away from her." she yelled at Danny with her daughter in his arms.

He doesn't move. He doesn't even take his eyes away from the girl next to him. He only tightens his grip around her and she mirrors his grip around his neck.

"_Pakawalan mo anak ko/ _Get your hands off my daughter" she yelled in Tagalog.

"_Anak ko rin siya /_She's my daughter to." he answers, surprising everyone with his use of the Tagalog language.

"_Hindi na ngayon / _Not anymore." She replied more calmly but no less in force. "_Sampong taon ka wala sa kanyang buhay, at pagkatapos noon akala mo kaya mo lang siyang balikan/_ 10 years, you weren't a part of her life. Then you think, just like that, you can come back to her?"

"_Iniwan kita…hindi siya / _I left you… not her." he finally looks up at the angry woman yelling at him.

"Security…" she shouts to the cops across the room. "Get this man away from my daughter."

"She's my daughter too!" he yells at her.

"What the hell is going on here?" Capt. Gerard walks in with his men and a couple of press.

"Get him away from our daughter." She says again.

"Mr. and Mrs. Cooper we have everything under control." He assures the upset lady in blue. "Messer, get away from her." he yells at the man with the child in his arms.

"No," he answers stubbornly.

The Captain looks and nods to his men. Two uniform police officers walk towards the two on the sofa. One grabs hold the girl and the other grabs Danny. They struggle. She doesn't want to leave his side. He doesn't let go.

"No… Let me go." She puts up a fight. "Daddy!" she calls out to the man with glasses.

"Get your hands off of her." He yells at the cops keeping a tight grip around her.

Everyone was watching. Mac, Stella, Don and Sheldon moved closer, wanting to help their friend and co-worker, but not exactly knowing how. Jeremy Cooper stood behind his wife worriedly watching. His wife waiting impatiently for them to get her daughter away from him.

It took three more police officers to get them apart. Two more officers' grabs hold of Danny and pries his arms open, reluctantly releasing her. She goes flying into the two officers' arms and pulls her away from her only source of comfort.

"No! Daddy" she cries out to him.

"Elsie stop them!" he begs. "They're hurting her," he shouts as he struggles against the three cops holding him back.

She only stands with an angry and determined expression as she stares blankly at him.

The girl was fighting back, hard; trying to wave her arms around, kicking and screaming to let her go.

"Daddy…" she screams again.

"Bella…" he replies.

She fights harder; attempting to bite the officers, to kick them, anything to get free. Her pleading turning into cries and incoherent grunts of protest. She's breathing heavily, having a hard time talking. She slows down a bit as her breaths get deeper and more exhausting. She stills herself and focuses more on breathing. Her legs getting weaker and falls on the floor. A look of panic across her face as she was turning red. Danny knew exactly what was going on.

He pushes the three uniform officers and gets away. He then runs further into the hotel suite and into the living room. He's looking for something. Where is it? Where is it? He asked himself. His eyes wander to every table in the living room. He finally finds it. He walks towards a coffee table, picks up a wooden box and retrieves its contents. He then runs back to the foyer, pushing the officers out of his way and kneels beside the little one.

She grabs hold the lapels of his blazer and pulls the man closer. He steadies her head. He takes what he has in his hand and moves it towards her face. She opens her mouth, bites it and breathes in as he presses down on it.

"Its an inhaler." The ME says.

"Specifically, her inhaler." The curly-hair woman added.

"How'd he know where to find it?" The tall Irishman asked.

"Its because Danny's been here before." The green eyed man answered.

They look at the usually brash young CSI on the floor comforting the young teen. He was protective, caring, and gentle… paternal. They noticed the drastic changes in his whole persona. He was completely engrossed in taking care of the young girl he held in his arms. Telling her to breathe. Rubbing her back. Wiping her tears and holding her tighter than a man clinging for life on the edge of the Empire State building.

If this girl wasn't his daughter, he sure did act like he was her father. All the signs of natural instincts of caring for a child was there. He loved this child and cared for her as his daughter. They weren't sure if she really was, but they certainly knew that their Danny Messer loved this girl as if she were.

Just then, Elsa stomps toward the two on the floor. She grabs Rubella by the arm and yanks her away from her protector.

"_Tama na yan/ _Stop that!" she practically ordered her daughter.

"_Hindi…Ayoko / _No… I don't want to." the teenager squeezes the other man tighter.

"Stop it Elsie!" Danny practically growls at the woman and brings the younger woman closer to his body, almost cradling her like a baby. "At least until she calms down."

She looks at them. Her fury never subsiding. She stares at the man as if she wished him death to his whole family. He's not one bit intimidated. He just stares back at her with as much anger, even more. Then she notices her daughter with the same angry stare, at her. She looks at them both and had to admit it. They looked alike.

"Fine." She mumbles and reluctantly lets go of her daughters' arm and walks back to her husband.

He breathes deeply and inspects the girls' arm, checking for any bruises that Elsa could have left. He sees none and looks deeply into the girls' eyes.

"_Ok ka lang/ _Are you ok?" he asks her in a worried whisper and a wrinkled brow.

"_Opo. / _Yes" she answers in a soft voice, barely audible except to him.

She then wraps her arms around his neck and hugs him tighter than before. He didn't think it was possible, without suffocating her. He held her with all the might he possessed. He was never letting her go.

"_Salamat sa Diyos nandito ka/ _Thank God you're here." She exclaims between sniffs.

"_Bakit naman di kita pupuntahan/ _Why wouldn't I be here?" he asked her. "_Ama mo ako diba/ _I'm your father, right?" he asked her, knowing full well of what the answer was.

"_Akala ko di ka nila papasukin. / _I thought they weren't going to let you in." she moves her head back to look at him face to face. "_Alam ko dapat tinawag kita. Pero natakot ako kung malaman ni mama, baka hindi na tayo magkikita ulit. Natakot ako. / _I know I was suppose to call you. But I was scared. Maybe mom could find out about us and she'd stop us from seeing each other. I was scared."

"_Wag ka nang matakot. Nandito na ako. Hindi kita iiwan. / _Don't be scared anymore. I'm here now. I won't leave you." he reassured her.

"_Pero si mama_… / But mom…" she didn't get the chance to finish the sentence. He gently places his finger on top of her lips.

"_Hindi. Nawala kita noon, hindi na yun mauulit. Hindi na kita pakakawalan. Walang makakapigil sa akin sa pagiging ama mo. Pangako / _No. I lost you before, I won't lose you again. I'll never let you go. No one can stop me from being your father. Promise" He assured her.

"Mac! Get your man away from Rubella Cooper." Capt. Gerard screamed at the lead CSI.

"You already tried." He replied. "It's plain to see that no one can"

The older officer just turned a deeper shade of red from the CSIs' disobedience. He walks to the two on the floor and reaches for the young lady's arm.

"Let go of her Messer!" he barked at the bespectacled man.

He grabs the same arm Elsa grabbed earlier. Though there were no bruising it was definitely sore. Gerard' grasp caused her to whimper in the slight pain.

This instantly caught the younger mans' attention. His head snaps up and he looks at him as if the higher-ranking officer intended to kill her. His blue eyes burning with rage. This causes the captain to yelp and back off. He takes a step back and gives the CSI some room.

The blonde held the girl in his arms and carried her. Keeping his stare straight at Gerard. He picked her up and gently placed her on the coach they were on before. He kneels in front of her, pushes her hair away from her face and pats it down. He wipes any remnants of tear off her face and kisses her forehead.

He then stood up and turned to face Gerard. And as if the temporary display of tenderness didn't happen, his stare didn't change. His jaw was clenched and his fists were ready to take anyone out if he needed to. He takes a couple of steps closer to him, almost like a hunter approaches its prey.

"I don't care what you do to me. I don't care how much fucking power you've got. I don't care how far your egotistical head is up your ass. You hurt my daughter again… I swear to you, on my mothers' grave, it'll be the last thing you'll ever regret." He practically snarled at him.

For the first time in a long time, Capt. Gerard looked scared. The others thought he looked like he was about to pee his pants. In some way everyone understood. They realized that the look that the CSI was giving to the older officer was similar to the look animals' give when protecting their young. It's raw and absolutely real.

The young man then turned around and left a shocked and startled captain to his own devices. He takes his blazer off and went back to the same kneeling position he was earlier. The girl was right in front of him. He places his jacket over her shoulders and tenderly cupped her face in his hands. And he notices the one thing that could always seems to give him a glimpse of heaven; her smile.

"What are you smiling at?" He asked her, with a smirk of his own.

"Nothing." she answers unconvincingly "I just like you when you're protective."

"Yeah?" he asks, "You think its funny?"

"I think its cute." She replies.

He gives her one of his best smiles and lets out a small laugh. His sudden ease changes faster than a New York minute. He began to clench his jaw again. His smile turns into a concerned frown, with that familiar wrinkle between his eyebrows. He cups her face in his hands, moves her closer to him, enough for their nose to touch and looks into her eyes.

"Don's ever scare me like that again." He says in a shaky voice.

"I won't" she answers, not really knowing for sure where the answer came from.

He takes a deep breath and calms himself down. "Good."

"Danny," a familiar kind voice came from behind him.

He turns around and sees his beautiful co-worker Stella carefully approaching them.

"Hey Stel," he says casually "Sorry about the scene."

"It's ok." She reassures him with a smile.

She then points out her notepad to him and then nods towards the girl on the couch.

"Before you came, I was actually trying to take a statement from her." she informs him.

"Oh, Sorry. I'll leave you two alone for a while." He apologizes "OK?" he asked the girl.

"Wait." Rubella grabs his arm as he was standing up to leave. "Don't go."

"Don't worry. I'm right here. I'll just leave you with Stella so she can do her job."

"I know. Its just… try not to leave me alone with mom around." She pleads

"I won't." he touches her knee and reassures her.

He looks back at the other CSI with a small apologetic smile. She gave him a look that just said, "I understand". He then turned to the teen and leaned in close.

"_Wag kang matakot. Si Stella naman ang kakausapin mo eh_ / Don't be afraid. You're only going to talk to Stella." He tells her. "_Naalala mo naman kung ano ang sinabi ko sa iyo tungkol sa kanya diba?_ / You remember what I told you about her, don't' you?"

She nods an answer.

"_Mapagkatiwalaan siya._ / You can trust her." he says.

He gives her an encouraging smile and a quick peck on the cheek. He stands up and turns towards the female detective.

"I'll just get her some water." He tells her. "I'll be right back."

He walks away and leaves the two ladies alone and walks towards one of the paramedics to get some water.

Stella Bonaserra takes a deep breath and looks at the girl. She gives a questioning towards the seat next to the teen. The teen smiles and scoots over to give the older woman some room next to her.

"Are you ok?" she asks her in a kind voice.

"I'll be fine" she answers after a deep breath.

"I'm Det. Stella…"

"Detective Stella Bonaserra." She beats her to it. "I know. I mean I remember. You introduced yourself earlier."

She gives her a smile, glad that the young lady hasn't forgotten their earlier encounter.

"… and Danny talked about you before." She added.

"Oh," she says like a exhaling a short breath. "Don't believe everything he says." She added playfully.

"Actually, I think he got you spot on." She chuckles a reply.

This gets the CSI to give her a bigger smile and a giggle, which Rubella responses to. She definitely sees the change in from the young girl she met earlier to her now after Danny came. She was traumatized earlier, shocked and impenetrable. The only sign of normalcy that she saw was a genuine yet small smile when she introduced herself earlier. Now, she was at ease, animated, as if comforted.

"So." Stella straightens up, with a just slightly more serious tone. "Can you tell me what happened earlier tonight?" she asked her.

"Uhm…" she begins. "Well, I woke up in the middle of the night after hearing a noise. It sounded like it came from the kitchen. I went to che… check out what it was. It was dark, but I saw something move towards the back. I ah…uhm turned on the lights and then I saw…" she takes a gulp, trying to get rid of the growing lump in her throat. She takes a deep breath and tries to stop herself from crying any more than she already had. She closed her eyes. "On the floor, I saw Kuya Hector. He was laying on his back. There… There was blood everywhere." She takes another gulp. "I screamed and my yaya's came. Then they called 911."

Stella moves to rub the poor teens back in an effort to comfort her. She moves towards the touch, but maintains her look on the floor.

"Hey," a kind voice thick with a Staten Island accent breaks through the silence. "Everything ok here?" he asked the two ladies.

"Yeah," the younger girl answers. "_Tama ka tungkol sa kanya_. / You were right about her." she added and nodded to the sweet woman with curls beside her.

"_Sabi sa iyo._ / Told you so." He quips.

He walks towards the couch holding up a glass of water. He hands it to the girl. She smiles a "thank you". Then sits next to her and wraps an arm around her shoulders protectively. The young girl leans in to his embrace.

"You need anything else Stel?" He asked his co-worker.

"No," she answers "I think I have everything I need." She added.

She stands up. Then turns back to them.

"I'll just call you if I need anything else." He tells his friend.

"Thanks." Danny says with a smile.

"It was nice to finally meet you Ms. Bonaserra" Rubella says, smiles and raises her hand to for a handshake.

"It was nice to meet you too." She replies as she takes the young lady's hand. Then walks back to Mac and the others.

They huddled together. Don was with his other cop friends and left the CSI's to work.

"What do you think is going on?" Sheldon asks his partner as she re-entered their circle.

"I'm still not sure." She answers with a shrug. "But regardless of her true paternity… they know each other, very well. They seem to have a genuine relationship. I mean you should have seen how they react to each other. I don't know her yet, but from the change between before and after Danny came to her rescue, she's definitely at ease. Danny's more protective and cautious… but unbelievably calmer. She's certainly someone very important to him."

"Well, she's certainly someone very important" Flack says as he approaches them, "Important enough to try to kill her."

"What?" Stella speaking for every one of the CSI's.

"She was the intended target." The homicide detective informs them. "We went to check out her room and we found 5 shots through the bed"

"This just got more complicated." Stella says.

"Yes it has." Mac added. "We're now protecting family."


	3. Chapter 3

Everything was being processed. Cops were in and out, considering the sensitive nature of the case involving a government official. Security was top priority. Press were trying to get the latest scoop on the murder of a former ambassador's, and new chairman in the foreign relations department, bodyguard. But none of this was bothering the usually crime-scene-immersed CSI det. Danny Messer.

Right now, Danny held in his arms the only thing concerning him. She placed her head on his shoulder. His arm maintained its protective embrace around her, and he continued to whisper honeyed words to calm her fearful heart. Her safety and comfort was the only thing on his mind. He hasn't done this in a long while, not his choice, but his fatherly impulses were definitely kicking in. Beside him was the most important person he had in his life, and she was just involved in a murder.

His mind began to wander to questioning what really happened earlier tonight. He sees his co-workers on the other side of the room, and wonders what they could have found out. He never thought he'd be on the other side of the tape, at least not like this, not again. This felt oddly alike to when Louie got himself hurt on his behalf. It was this sickening feeling like someone was threatening to cover his heart in cement and throw over the Brooklyn bridge. If shit was happening to him, he could handle it. He has before. But his family and friends were his heart.

He looked at the team again, and just realized. His two worlds have just collided; His world of 4 years in the CSI division; 15-19 hour workload, bloody crime scenes and violence. Then there was his secret life for the pass year; reticent e-mails and calls to and from the Philippines and now to a penthouse in "The Alexander" hotel, bribing and befriending of hotel management, meeting at a diner nearby, valuable and long overdue father-daughter bonding.

He didn't know what they were thinking. He wasn't sure of how they would react to what he'll tell them in due time. He's not even sure if they'll believe him. But he knows he has a lot of explaining to do. He doesn't want history to repeat itself, especially if its history of Macs' disappointment and anger toward him not telling him the truth or trusting his boss. There was a huge part of him that wanted to tell the gang, but he knew it would only risk more than he should. He didn't want to lose anything or anyone to his big mouth, not again.

"_San ka pumunta?_ / Where'd you go?" That light voice that could cut trough a crowd asked.

"No where. I'm right here." He replied, turning his sight back to the girl beside him.

"I'm sure you are." She replies. "I don't think you need to go very far to keep your mind busy."

He smiles at her comment. He loves that she still tries to make him smile after everything that's happened tonight.

"Rubella, get up." Elsa' authoritative voice drowns everyone else out of earshot, at least from the two. "Now!"

She hurriedly walks towards them, with the same intense glare she had before. She's about to reach for her daughters' arm and attempt to yank her away. The girl naturally tightens her grip around Danny.

"Excuse me." Marine comes to the rescue.

Elsa Cooper stops short and turns to the brunette walking towards them.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Cooper, but I don't think it's a good idea for your daughter to be released just yet." He added. "At least for her safety's sake."

"Why?" she says, pursing her lips in frustration.

"We believe that Rubella is in danger. She's the only one close to a witness, and we're still not certain of a target of whoever did this." he added.

"Hhm… Mr.?" she says questioningly.

"Det. Taylor"

"Det. Taylor. Thank you for your concern, but I'm sure that we can protect our own daughter." She says matter-a-factly.

"With all due respect…" he says as convincingly as he can. "I think it would be better if your daughter was in police custody, for her own protection." He says.

"Again Det. Taylor we…" she couldn't finish.

"Agree." Her husband, Jeremy Cooper, finishes for her. "I think it would be better for her own safety."

He walked behind her and grasped her by the shoulder. Though his wife was more than a head shorter than him, Mac could clearly see Mr. Cooper's stepping around eggshells concerning his wife. His voice was more persuasive than stern. He gives her a glare that calmly meant "just-do-it".

She takes a deep breath and rolls her eyes.

"Fine" she said yieldingly. "But she can't stay with him." her stern voice comes back in full force as she gives a light nod towards the man behind him holding her daughter.

"Don't worry Mrs. Cooper. Our best interest is your daughter's safety and well being." He reassures her. "We'll make sure that she'll be in the best protection."

She clenches her jaw in frustrated and reluctant relief, takes another deep breath and walks away. Her husband takes her place and shakes Mac's hand in agreement.

Mr. Cooper then walks towards his stepdaughter. Though he could understand her clinging to him, he couldn't help but be a little jealous of the man that was soothing her. He gives her a smile and points to his nose. It was their own sign language. She does the same, while keeping her head on the other mans' shoulder. Jeremy's face then became more serious and looks at the younger blonde and gives him a look that fathers knew as saying, "protect her" The CSI swallowed his pride and gives the politician a nod of promise to say "I will".

"Jeremy!" the authoritative female voice yells out again.

"Coming dear," he replies, then left the closest thing to a daughter he has ever had.

She snuggles into Danny's neck as if to say thanks for his polite actions toward her stepfather. Though they weren't related by blood, Rubella and Jeremy Cooper clearly had a good relationship with each other, and the young CSI respected that. In many ways, he was jealous but also thankful for the man in his daughter's life, when he was prevented to.

"Danny?" a soft but still manly voice said.

They both turned to where the voice was coming from and see a man with short brown hair and green eyes, a man Danny was all too familiar with. He stood in front of the two looking up at him.

"Mac." The younger man said as to test the waters.

"We have to take her Danny." He replied with apologetic eyes.

"No," the little one whined in protest and held the man tighter in her arms.

He rubs her back to calm the restless child beside him. He also mirrors her instinctive grasp around her. Danny felt like she was being taken away from him, again. His heart ached. His supervisor kneels in front of him and gives him a look to say "trust me".

"Danny," he repeated. "We have to take her."

He bites his lower lip and gives a reluctant nod. He then gently takes Rubella by her shoulders and positioned her to look straight at him. He lifted her face, with a gentle touch of her chin. He looks straight into her equally blue eyes. She had his eyes.

"Bella," he says cautiously "Baby, listen to me… You have to go with them." He bites his tongue.

"No," she repeated her previous whine.

"Yes," he repeated himself. "You have to, for your own safety."

"No, you can protect me." She informed him.

"Not as well as they can." He says. "Not as well as I should… should have" He tells her as if to remind himself of his past faults.

"No" she continued to object. "I don't want to leave you."

He takes a deep breath. Stopping the tinge of tears in his eyes. He naturally hated saying goodbye to her. It only reminded him of that day that he woke up and found himself alone. But this was different, then she was taken away by her selfish mother. Now, she needed protection that he wasn't sure he could give. He wanted to, but she came too close to danger for tonight. She had to be protected.

"Baby," he calls to her. "Look at me. You have to go with them."

"No, I don't"

"Bella. This is Mac Taylor" he informs her, pointing to the man kneeling in front of them.

She looks at the man, giving her a small reassuring smile. Then looks back the man next to her.

"Remember what I told you about Mac?" she asked her.

She sniffles a bit and takes a quick breath and gives him a nod.

"Ok." He says.

He cups her face in his hands kissing the top of her head. Then gently moving it to touch their foreheads together and gives her a smile.

He then took his attention away from the girl then looks for one of the maids that took care of her, mostly, in her parents and his absence. He finds a pear shaped woman, late 50's of age, with 5'2 in height with short curly dark hair with graying roots. Their eyes meet and Danny gives her a nod to come closer to them. She walks towards the three.

Danny stood up, still holding the girl mirroring his grasp. Mac too, stood up taking a step back giving them some space. The younger CSI moved closer to the older woman in a homey, nightdress.

"_Yaya Berting, pakikuha ng damit ni Bella._ / Yaya Berting, please get some of Bella's clothes." He politely requested the older woman.

She nodded and gave a small curtsy before walking away further into the hotel penthouse.

"_Oh, hintay._ / Wait." He called out to her. "_Wag mong kalimutan si Danno._ / Don't forget Danno." He added.

"_At yung asul na polo sa lamesa ko._ / and the blue shirt on my dresser." Rubella added. "Please, thank you Yaya Berting."

She told the woman finally leaving, disappearing to the back of the hotel. They kept in each other's embrace, moving practically as one to face Mac again.

"I just asked the maid to get some of Ruby's things, just a few clothes and stuff to keep her well." He informed his supervisor. "It won't take long."

"Don't worry Danny." He replied. "We're not in a hurry. Take your time."

"Thank you."

They were still holding each other. She had her arms around his waist and her face buried in the man's chest. He had his arms around her shoulders keeping her as close to him as humanly possible. Trying to make as much of the time they have together. Not knowing when they'll be able to see each other again. The difference between now and ten years ago was that now he knew before hand that she would have to go. He wanted to take full advantage of their time. He now knows how important that is.

"We're going to see each other again." She says against his chest. "Won't we?" she asked lifting her head to face him.

He looks into her teary eyes. "I'll make sure of it." he said, mustering all the strength in his being to make her believe, more than he even did.

"Here you go. Everything she needs." The plump Filipina hurriedly walked towards the two carrying a small red suitcase in one hand and a purple stuffed elephant in the other, along with a wrinkled up baby blue button down.

"Thank you." Rubella turned to her second mother.

"_Salamat Yaya Berting_ / Thank you Yaya Berting." Danny said with a smile as he took the suitcase from the older woman with a smile.

The teen took the stuffed elephant and put it under her arm, giving it a protective squeeze. She then took the shirt like a blanket and put it closer to her face, breathing in its scent. She felt the blonde CSIs hand on her shoulder as he guided her out with Mac next to the pair. They walked across the room, passed Capt. Gerard and towards the elevator.

"Is that mine?" the young man asked his cute companion.

She gave a pleased nod. "You left it, when you posed as a pizza delivery guy." She said, smiling at the thought. "When you came with a pizza in one hand and you were completely soaked from the rain" she added in a delightful giggle.

He grinned as he remembered that day a few months ago. It was one of the few times he got to stay with her in the hotel suit. She showed him where everything was, her room, kitchen, bathroom and her secret stash of candy and her medicine, including her inhaler. He hated being here, but it was one of his favorite moments with her. He saw where she lived, but it never resembled a home.

She talked about it being nice but she hated that she couldn't put things up on the walls or have much of her own stuff because her mother wanted everything to match. She complained that nothing in the suite was hers, only hers. Her mother picked everything. The only thing that gave her any comfort was the other people in her closed up life. The maids, her yayas and body guards. And if time permitted him, her papa Jeremy treated like a princess. She talked about how he was a good step-father to her, and even mentioned that she would love it if he could meet him.

He was jealous of the man she called papa and how easily it passed between her lips. He felt that title was rightfully his, and it was taken away from him. Jeremy was there when he should have. He witnessed her childhood. He was there for her. He loved her, when it should have been him. But he realized; he was there for her when he couldn't. Though he was jealous, he was glad that the man treated her in a way that she needed and deserved to be treated. Like she said; he was a good father to her. He could respect that, in many ways he was indebted for that. He shouldn't be angry with him. Jeremy didn't take his fatherhood away from him. Elsie took his daughter away from him.

She took another whiff of the crumpled shirt in her hands and giggled at how the smell tickled her nose.

He wonders how he could have ever survived the last 10 years not hearing that giggle.

"Why do you do that?" he asked his Bella.

"It still smells like you." she said against the blue fabric.

He smirked at her comment, not believing how something like a shirt could be so important to her. Then is reminded that he still had her baby blanket safely tucked away in his closet, years after Elsie lied to him.

They reached the elevator and was about to press the button that had an arrow pointing down on it, when Rubella grabbed his arm and gently lowered it.

"You can't go down with us." She said plainly, with a tinge of pain in her voice.

"Why?" He asked curiously.

"Because…" she started. "It'll be too hard."

He gave her another dubious look and waited for an explanation.

"Saying goodbye from an elevator and waving goodbye to a car as it drives off are two different things." She explained. "When you say goodbye to someone as they drive away makes it more difficult. It makes it seemed more permanent. It's like someone leaving for a very long time even for forever… I don't want that." she stops swallowing another lump in her throat.

He looks at her pained expression and knows exactly what she was saying.

"When you say goodbye from an elevator." she continued. "It's like "ok bye now, see you later". It's much more casual. It's simple. It won't feel like forever."

Her words cut through Mac. He remembers saying goodbye to Claire as she entered the elevator of the second World Trade Center. It was like any other day, it was casual; a small smile and a wave. Like they were going to do the same thing tomorrow. But tomorrow was never the same as yesterday, not for him.

The ding of the elevator brought him back to reality. He realized that it was the young Miss Cooper that pressed the button for them. It was hard for him to believe such words came from someone so young, words that got him to remembering that faithful September morning.

She took the suitcase from him. She lowered her gaze as she wiped away tears starting to run down her cheek. She took a deep breath and made a trying smile. She did her best to compose herself, to make everything as fine as they really weren't.

"Ding" breaks the silence. The metal doors open, revealing a small empty confined space.

She doesn't look back at him as the marine guides her into the elevator. Both turn to face him. She gives him one last reassuring look. It was ironic that she was reassuring him. The head CSI leans forward to press the button.

"Remember…" he struggles to say. "Mahal kita. / I love you." a single tear falls.

"I love you too." She replied.

"Ding." The doors slides shut.


	4. Chapter 4

The drive was quiet. Mac Taylor was behind the wheels. Rubella Ruiz-Cooper was on the passenger seat absent-mindedly looking out of the window. Her suitcase n the backs seat. She held in her hands the purple stuffed elephant, he guessed it was "Danno", and Danny's blue shirt on her lap.

He couldn't help but look at her when he could. He looked for any resemblance to his friend and employee. Physically, he saw a lot of Elsa Ruiz in her. She shared the same long raven hair. Her dark skin had such a healthier glow compared to her mothers. Her lips, her nose, her built, almost all of her features she seemed to have gotten from her mother. Hardly any hint of Danny Messer in her appearance.

She moved her head, facing straight ahead. She looks at the road in front of them, not knowing she gave the CSI a perfect profile of her dainty face.

Then he noticed them. How he could have possibly missed them was unclear to him. She had his eyes. Behind her delicate and long lashes was a pair of aquamarine eyes, the same exact shade as Danny Messers'. They were such a contrast to her ethnicity. Her Asian traits; dark hair and complexion, full lips and small eyes paired with such distinct European trait as blue eyes. It made her even more beautiful. It reminded him more of his colleague.

The young CSI had the same contrast. When described, the young man was blonde, blue eyed and slim but well built. Not exactly how one would picture a second generation American-Italian, which he was. He didn't have the same dark slick hair and dark eyes like the stereotype. The only thing that physically connected him to those ethnic roots was his rich olive skin and knowledge of the Italian language.

"I'm sorry." A soft voice breaks their silence. "I know I'm supposed to trust you. You're a cop; higher ranking, lead CSI, and from what Danny told me also a decorated Marine. You're also not to mention his boss and friend, and I trust you. I do, but I have to ask…" She pauses.

He waits for her to finish.

"Where are we going?" she finally asked.

He couldn't help but smile. She may have not looked like his friend but she babbled like him. He chuckled a bit, as she waited for him to answer her.

"Somewhere safe." He finally replies.

"Where exactly?" she asked.

They stopped at a pedestrian lane. He finally looks her in the eye and says "Trust me."

She gave a loud sigh and fell into her seat as they started to move again. She smiled to herself, embarrassed at her earlier actions. She had to relax.

"I'm sorry." She apologizes to the green eyed man. "I tend to talk a lot."

"Its fine." He reassures the teen. "You were just involved in a murder. You were separated from your family. And now you're being driven to an undisclosed location with a stranger…. Its natural to be a little nervous."

"Its funny." She informs him with a smile. "Danny told me so much about you guys. You don't feel like a stranger to me."

"Who much has he actually told you?" he asked her.

"Enough." She replied playfully. "Don't worry, nothing too bad, just the important stuff."

"Oh really." This raised the older gentleman's curiosity. "Like what?" he asked her.

"He trusts you." She told him plain and simple.

This definitely caught the man's attention. He and Danny had had difficult times together. They went through a lot of things that tested their trust towards each other; the Minahs case, IAD, Tanglewood not to mention people around them that only made things worst for them. He was an issue before he was even hired. People trying to convince the marine that the young man was no good and wouldn't change. But this didn't stop him from hiring the younger man. He's always been a talented, smart and passionate officer. He was more than capable and always had his heart in the right place. He knows things haven't been as good as they were before but the supervisor always hoped that they'd recover from everything. The young lady's comment strengthened this hope.

"He told me about the stuff he, well you guys went through." She started to explain, never looking at the man, in fear of being to sentimental. "Pretty bad stuff. He told me how he screwed things up and… how he felt about you at the time." She was sugarcoating it. "But the bad stuff didn't last. How you guys got through it. In the end, your team, your group is the closest thing to a real family he's got. He cares about you and is grateful that you care about him when other's didn't. Who else could he trust?" she said with a smile.

The words touched the usually stoic man.

"Who else could he trust with his only daughter?" she asked.

The realization struck the man flat in the chest. He still wasn't sure if any of this was true, but he had to admit; it would take a lot of trust for him to do something like that.


	5. Chapter 5

The sound of keys opening the door broke the silence of the empty and dark apartment. First entered the owner, obviously not in the best of moods. Followed by his best friend and co-worker, there for support. Both walked through the hallway leading to the living room.

"Thanks Don," he said as he went to lie on the leather sofa.

"No problem Dan," he replied, opting towards the kitchen. "You need anything?" he checked the refrigerator.

"Thought I suppose to say that?" he asked his friend in a chuckle.

"You don't seem to be in the mood to." he replied, coming out of the kitchen holding to beers in both hands and waling towards his friend sprawled on the sofa.

The homicide detective sat next to his friend. He took his jacket off and placed it on the arm of the chair adjacent his. He took a quick sip of his and placed the other bottle on the coffee table in front of his friend.

The CSI reached out for the drink, nodding thanks to his companion. He's about to raise it to his lips, but rethinks his actions. He bit his lower lip and placed it back on the coffee table.

"I can't." he said, more to himself than to his friend.

The taller man took another sip. He hated seeing his friend like this. He went through a lot already and this just sucker punched him. It reminded him of how he was after his big brother Louie almost got killed. It was this whole confusion of anger, sadness and guilt. He's been there to help him before, he's here again.

"Not again," the shorter man's deep voice brought him back. "I almost drank myself to an early grave the first time I lost her. I can't go down that road again, especially now, now I got her back."

"Danny," he started. "What exactly is going on?" he finally asked him.

"It's complicated." He answered.

"Complicated?" he replied. "Oh, and the other shit we went through was a freaking walk in the park." He said a sarcastically, trying to lighten up the mood.

The blonde just shook his head in reply, looking genuinely apologetic, not picking up his co-workers humor.

They were definitely in more dangerous waters. When Danny is too upset that he can't even take a joke from Flack that means this is really serious. They usually had such a great way of laughing things off. This means that he had to be extra careful with his friend.

"Listen Danny, all I meant was that we've gone through a lot. You've always been there for me and now I'm trying to be here for you." he explained. "So, what exactly is going on?"

"Don, please not now." He didn't want to talk about it, not yet. He still didn't want to admit lying to his best friend.

"Why?" He asked him. "Can't you tell me anything?"

"I told you!" he almost shouted "Not now!" he wasn't ready to admit not only lying to his friend, but that he failed in what he was trying to do with the lying.

He took a hearty sip of his beer. He may have pushed his friend a little to hard, a little too soon. He's now irritated, and an irritated Danny was as difficult as they come. He needed to calm him down.

"Ok, I'm sorry." He said as he placed his hand on the other man's shoulder "relax."

"Why are you so fucking eager to know anyway?" he asked out of spite.

He gave his friend one hard look. His mind was in a dangerous place of confusion, one that gave him a healthy dose of paranoia. It's always been one of his weaknesses. It's an impulsive habit that he always regrets falling into afterwards.

He knows that look. It's this unsettling look of uncertainty and suspicion. If he was giving him that look it meant that Danny was really in a bad place right now.

"Ohh… I see." He said with a bitter smile. "Get the best friend to do it."

"What?!" he asked, confused and hurt.

"Who put you up to this?" he asked "Gerard? Or some other prick higher up?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked even angrier.

"Whose idea was it for you to get me to talk? I mean I seem to be involved here. I've gotten my sorry ass involved in cases before. I must know something. Then they get you to question me." He said bitterly picking up his untouched drink and went to the kitchen.

"What?" the other man exclaimed as he followed him to the other room. "Do you honestly think I'd do something like that? to you?"

"You could?" he replied in blind fury as he slammed the refrigerator door after putting the beer back in.

After all this time, their years of friendship, Danny still doubted him. Now that was a sucker punch to the detective. But he swallowed his pride. He reminded himself that this wasn't about him. He could yell at his asshole of a friend another time. But right now he had to relieve him. He wasn't being himself, at least not the Danny Don knew.

"I'll pretend you didn't say that," he said after a deep breath.

"Then what the hell are you doing here?" he screamed.

"I'm here cause Mac and…" he was unable to finish.

"Ohh… Mac." He said with an even more bitter tone and smile. "Figures."

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"He put you up to this? What you doing here Don?... Babysitting?" He asked

He couldn't believe he was being like this. He just stood there a little taken aback by his friends' comment. He couldn't really say anything in reply, not really understanding how Danny could be so thick sometimes.

His co-worker didn't confirm his suspicion, neither did he deny them. He just took the silence for the worse. He didn't wait for an actual reply. He walked pass, pushing him a little on to the kitchen counter as he walked back to the living room. When he reached the coffee table, he finally hears Don following him.

"Dan it ain't like that!" he exclaimed.

"Neh, I get it Don." He said, then turned to look his friend straight in the face. "What did Mac think I'd do? He thought I'd fuck things up again. How? He thought I'd kidnap her or something? He thought I had something to do with this whole mess? What Don? What did Mac think I did wrong again?"

"Dan, you know that ain't true!" he exclaimed in vain.

"Then what's the truth Don?" he shouted spinning around finally looking at his friend.

"That's what I've been trying to ask you." Don finally admitted.

The bespectacled man was preparing to give a comeback…

"Shut up for a minute." Told him in a firm voice but hands up almost like an apologetic surrender.

By some miracle, he actually did. Not because he was told to, but because of what he saw in front of him. His friend, with true concern in his eyes, approaching him. The younger man bit his lower lip, a sign he hardly ever saw. It meant he regretted something. This time he knew. As passionate as the young officer spoke, hardly ever let his emotions take him too far, far enough to regret whatever he said. He's never told any of his friends to just shut up.

He couldn't believe that he just did that, to Dan. He normally didn't do that. But then again, Dan wouldn't normally be like this. He just hated having to do something he needed to do. This reminded him a little too much of what he had to with Gavin Moran. He knew what he did was right, but he didn't feel all right, just like now. He knows he has to do this. He, personally, needed to know what was going on, not only for this case, but also for his friend. But this clearly wasn't something easy for him. He doesn't like pushing him this way. He doesn't have to.

"I'm sorry for doing that… yelling at you and all." He started, in a calm voice. "Dan, you got to understand the situation. I don't exactly know what I'm dealing with here. I mean, a guy could only assume for so long... I just need to know the truth here, and I'm sorry if this is hard. It obviously is. You wouldn't be like this if it weren't."

He paused, letting his words sink into his friend's consciousness. He takes a step forward.

"I know you've got some doubts. I understand, but you've got to know by now… We care about you Dan. You're important to us, to all of us; Me, Stella, Hawkes and Mac. And we want to be here for you. But you got to let us." He said sincerely.

They stood there for a while. They were quiet, thinking about what had just happened.

"I'm sorry Don." He finally admitted. "I didn't mean… I was out of…. I'm just… I don't know." He struggled finding the words that he needed to say, wanted to say.

He took his glasses off. Then he pinched the skin between his eyes, easing the headache away. He then blindly maneuvered himself through the living room, knowing the location of every piece of furniture. Keeping his eyes close, he just fell into the same place in the sofa he was before. A confusion of feelings was bombarding him. He leans forward, his head down. After what he just did, and most of all, after what he just said, he wasn't sure of how to face his friend Don.

They were back to this. He really hated seeing him like this. He knew he never meant a word he said. He walked back to his earlier seat, next to him. He places his hand on Danny's back, rubbing as much worry as he could.

"It's gonna be alright." He assured the shorter man.

"No, Don… I'm really sorry." He finally looks up to his friend, with teary eyes.

"Dan, its ok." He reassured him. "I mean. You've gone through a lot. I understand."

"No, Don. That's not it." He rephrased himself. "I trust you. I trust Mac. I trust the whole team. I mean, who else could I? I'm just…" He took another deep breath. "…Sorry for lying to you and the others."

He kept rubbing the other man's back, encouraging him to continue.

"It wasn't because I didn't trust you guys. I did. I wanted to tell you. I wanted you to meet her. You don't know how much I talked about you guys. I wanted to tell you. I just couldn't risk so much. I couldn't risk losing again."

"You couldn't risk her again." The detective added.

"I also couldn't risk you guys." He exclaimed. "If I got everyone involved, I wouldn't just risk her, but you. I mean she's a politician's kid. I wasn't going to let you guys take the fall for me."

The blonde man sighs and leans back into the coach. The other man adjusted his position to face him. He leans in, listening attentively to him.

"This is like déjà vu." He says in a tired chuckle.

"Louie?" The younger man actually stated more than questioned.

"Actually, No." He corrects him. "This feels more like twelve years ago." He added.

Now he felt better. He felt secure enough to talk about this He's going to tell him anyway, might as well as now. To be honest, he's wanted to tell him since he found out the slightest hint of a possibility of her coming back into his life.

The friend waited patiently, listening carefully to every word he was about to say.

"Elsie…" He said after a deep breath. "I mean Elsa, and I have some history."

"Gee…" He said in mock surprise. "That never crossed my mind." He added sarcastically.

The other man gave a weak but genuine smile. The first he saw since more than an hour ago when he was with, possibly, his girl.

"Well, we did, needless to say." He continued. "Before she was a Cooper. She was just Elsie Ruiz a young OFW in the Chinatown. He was working in one of these sweatshops, making imitation bags. I on the other hand, I was a rookie cop working the beat. We met, got together and nine months later on March 23, 1994 Rubella Marie Ruiz was born 3 lb. 6 oz." He said with a grin big enough to light a room and a twinkle in his eyes that only a work of God could make, remembering that night at the hospital.

He thought he knew, practically everything about this man, but tonight kept proving him wrong. Don Flack could honestly say that he's never seen Danny Messer look so happy out of just one memory. It must have been the happiest day of his friend's life.

"What was it like?" he had to ask. "Being a dad?"

"Heh…" he stopped himself from laughing, smiling and crying at the same time. "When your young and stupid, at least stupider than you are now, you never thought that something so important and precious could be held in the very palms of you hands. I mean, she was tiny, this little handful of life. She's so beautiful. She's so amazing. She's everything…. She's why my heart beats."

He's never seen or heard him gush like this before. He was grinning, ecstatic and on the verge of tears of joy. It was absolutely infectious. The detective couldn't stop from smiling as well. He could only imagine what his friend must be feeling right now. Even if he did, he knew for sure that it would only be a fraction of what he truly felt.

"What happened?" His curiosity getting the best of him, he had to ask.

The older man broke eye contact and began to stare at the carpet. His smile began to fade. His body slowly slumped up to its previous position, like a weight was back on his shoulders. His jaws clenched. The twinkle in his eyes slowly disappeared and he bit his dry lower lip.

The other man started regretting ever asking him. The change in his friend's expression was drastic. It was clear that whatever memory his question brought up, it wasn't the one he liked revisiting.

"Then…" he took a deep breath, gulped down the growing lump in his throat and looked at the man sitting beside him "She was gone… Elsa took her away from me." A single tear fell and ran down the man's cheek.

Gradually, it was all making sense to him. Danny's protectiveness, sudden cautiousness over the pass few months and how attentive he was to the young Rubella Cooper. He was a new dad. He was her father, but that was so long ago. Now, it all came back, suddenly. He took on the role as fast as he can, and he knew it wasn't because he was forced to. He really wanted to. He was now a dad.

He was about to place his hand on the other man's back, to comfort him but,

"knock, knock" someone was at the door.

The blonde was motioning to leave the coach to answer the door, but was stopped by a hand on his forearm.

"I'll get it." he tells him, gently pulls the other man back to the sofa.

The taller man then stood up and walked to the door. He didn't have to look through the peephole to know who it was. He knew perfectly well, and he was sure the man at the other side would be interested in knowing what he found out about their friend.

The man on the sofa couldn't believe how he was acted. He doesn't know if he could apologize enough to Don for what he said to him. The door opened and he could hear feet walking into the apartment.

"Hey Mac" Don's voice.

Why was Mac here? Must be here to check on me; the blonde thought.

"Excuse me," a different voice. "Where are we?" a small, feminine voice asked.

He knew who the voice belongs to. If there was storm and people and cars around him, he'd still be able to hear that voice a mile away. But he couldn't believe that she was here, now.

"You mean you've never been here before?" Mac's voice asked.

"No," she answered. "Should I know this place?" her voice asked.

It was her. That voice could only belong to her. It could only have been her.

"Bella" he heard his own voice whisper to himself.


	6. Chapter 6

She was confused, but she kept as much fate to these men as she could. They were Danny's friends. But this wasn't exactly what she thought off when the older CSI told her they were going to a safe house. What did she know about police issued safe houses? She asked herself. Her mind was definitely racing. She had to calm down.

The man who answered the door was tall, young and good looking. She recognized him as one of the detectives at their penthouse earlier tonight. She didn't know how he got here so fast, but what the name Mr. Taylor called him got her attention; Don. Could it be him? She asked herself. The only Don she knew of, and has always wanted to meet, was Don Flack, Danny's best friend.

The place seemed to be ok. She began to look down the dark hall. It seemed to be the normal apartment. No one would think it to be a safe house, she guessed that was the point.

"How is he?" the green eyed man ask the detective.

"He's ok." The taller man answered. "But I've definitely seen him better."

"Maybe we can make it better." Replied the older man.

She turned around, their conversation catching her attention. She turned her back on the hallway in the apartment.

"Who?" she asked the two.

She heard steps from the apartment. They seemed to get louder, which meant whoever he was, was getting closer. She never turned around to look, but they seemed to have stopped.

The apartment was dark and his eyes had already adjusted to the lack of light. But the hall leading to his front door was bright, lit by the bright corridor outside. The brightness stung his eyes at first but slowly he saw them. His companion of the last hour and next to him his boss, both was standing under his doorway.

Then he sees another figure, standing in between him and the other two. So obviously a girl, a young girl, a young girl he knew so well. Her back was against him, long dark hair flowing down to the middle of her back. She was wearing the same pajamas she had on earlier. He knew it was her, but he had to see her. He had to know for sure.

"Bella?" his deep raspy voice called out to her.

He was behind her, down the hall. Though she didn't turn around, though the voice seemed low and tired, she knew exactly whom that voice belonged to. She now knew who he was. Who else calls her Bella?

"Him" the handsome detective said with a smirk and nodded to the direction of where the voice came from.

She looked at the man who drove her here, her eyes silently asking him if it were true, if it were truly him. He gave her a small smile and nodded, confirming her suspicion. She then mouthed a quiet thanks to the man.

She turned around. She did. It was her, no one else. Her big smile right in front of him. Its about the only smile that could get him trough anything and everything. It was one of the few things that gave him hope, and he thought he might never see it again. He prayed that she'll always smile at him, and he's done his best to bring that prayer into fruition.

"Daddy." She finally said as naturally as breathing.

"Bella." He exhaled with the same grin on his face.

She ran, fast into his arms. They embraced for the nth time that night, but not this tight. He held her like a dying man clinging to life. Her arms were around his neck, his met at the small of her back. Their words were muffled and indecipherable, mixture of English, Tagalog, Italian and gibberish, but all in the tone of total and utter happiness. He even picked her up, with feet off the ground and spun her out of complete joy.

"Is it really you?" he asked, when he stopped and put her back on the ground. "I can't believe it's really you."

She only giggled and nodded "Its me. It's just me."

He moved back a little, then cupped her small face in his hands. He looked at her, studied her critically like a piece of delicate evidence, but lovingly like only a father could look at a child. He placed his hand in her long dark hair. The other hand held the other side of her face, his thumb tracing her nose, lips then her eyelashes. It was almost like he had to touch her to believe she was back in his arms. He felt the dampness of her cheek.

"Why are you crying?" he asked her.

She only smiled and said "Same reason why you are."

He finally notices, he was crying too. He smiled at her, knowing the answer of his own question.

"I'm happy." She added then bit her lips to suppress another laugh.

He copied this and went back to hugging her. They were like that for an eternity that still wasn't enough. At last, their grasp began to lessen when they felt two more presence in the room. They turned to look down the hall in the apartment and they saw the two men that were responsible for this father-daughter reunion. They looked at them with only loving and thankful looks.

The two men stood just a few feet away. Don Flack to the left, grinning at the two, only imagining what they could have felt before he interrupted them. Mac Taylor to the right smiling as well, he held in his left hand the same red suitcase that held the young lady's clothes.

The teenage girl stood on her tiptoes and leaned into the blonde mans body, her mouth close to his ear. "_Pwede akong magpasalamat sa kanya?_ / Can I say thank you to him?" she whispered into his ear. Then went back to standing flat on her feet. She looked at him anticipating a reply.

He only smiled down at the girl and nodded.

She got her cue then left his arms. She took long and sure strides towards the older of the two men in front of them. She didn't ask for his approval. She only wrapped her arms around the man's neck and enveloped him in her as much as her shorter arms could. Her mouth was now next to his ear in the process and she whispered "_salamat_"

At first he was taken aback by her actions. It took him a few seconds into the hug for him to response. Though he didn't know a word in Tagalog, he had a very good idea of what she said to him. He cautiously wrapped his arms around the small frame, his hand meeting at the small of her back, his left hand never letting of her suitcase.

She finally moved back only to look at the man she had just took in her arms. "It means thank you." She informed him like a sweet secret between the two. "Thank you."

He could only look at her, her teary eyes looking up at him. He gave her a smile as if to say you're welcome.

"Seeing that you already know Mac." Danny said to her as he approached them. "Baby, I want you to finally meet someone." He gently held her shoulder guiding her to the younger man next to the marine.

He motioned his other hand to the tall detective. "This is Don Flack, good friend of mine."

Don then extended his hand to the young lady and she took it in a confident handshake.

The blonde man then motioned to the young lady and finally introduced her. "Don, Mac this is… my little girl" She gave him a playful nudge. "Ms. Rubella Ruiz-Cooper."

"I'm not that little anymore." She said to him with a stern look.

Then looked at the two other men and gave them a smile. "It was nice finally meeting you. Daddy, hmm Danny, told me a lot about you guys."

Partially, they wished they could say the same to her.

"Don't worry. I'm not expecting you to say the same." She said, as if reading their minds. "I'm just really thankful for what you've done, not just with me and Dad. But also with Kuya Hector. He wasn't just a bodyguard. He was also a very good friend to me. I'm sure you'll be able to find who ever did this to him. After some of the stories Dad shared to me about how great you guys are, I'm sure you'll get him."

She smiled to them. Then smiled at her dad who was rubbing the skin where her heck and shoulders met. "I'm sorry" she apologized as if on cue. "I tend to talk to mcuh."

"Well," the homicide detective started. "At least we know where you got that from."

All four of them laughed. The atmosphere of the apartment went from gloomy depressing to bright and loving happiness. When their laughs died down, her dad pulled her closer by her shoulder, and gently moved her face by the chin to look at him.

"You need anything kid?" he asked her casually. "Are you thirsty? Hungry? Need to go to the bathroom?"

"No, dad." She said with a warm smile and shook her head. "I'm fine."

Then she suddenly went a little languid. She clenched her jaw and took a deep breath through a tight mouth. Then she made this tiny hmm sound from the back of her throat. The other two men didn't know what it meant, but the blonde just gave her a smirk knowing full well what was happening.

"Hey, don't do that." he told her.

"Do what?" she asked with one eyebrow up.

"That."

"I wasn't doing…" She did it again. "…anything."

"Baby, if you need to yawn do it. You're tired."

"No, I'm…" she finally let out a yawn. "…not."

"Yeah you are." He said. Then put his hand on the back of her head pulled her closer to give her a kiss on her forehead. He began to guide her somewhere further in the apartment. "Lets put you to bed."

She suddenly gave him a gentle push and pulled away from him. She raised her hands in protest. "No dad. You don't have to do that."

He gave her a quizzical look, not understanding what she meant.

"You don't have to give me your room." She explained "I can sleep on the coach."

He smiled at her. A funny thought came to mind; at least he knew where she got her stubbornness. He took her hand and continued to lead her somewhere into the apartment. "Come on."

"No dad. Really I'm fine. I can sleep on the coach." She repeated herself.

"Nonsense." He turned back and called out to one of the men with them. "Mac, can I have her suitcase?"

The lead CSI obliged. He, closely being followed by Flack, walked to where they where the other two were. He gave the red suitcase to the other CSI who nodded and said thanks. He then continued to lead the girl somewhere, and their companions followed them.

"Dad you really don't have to do this. Sleep in your bed. Its yours."

"Stop it. You're being stubborn." He told her.

"Well we know where she got that from." Mac surprisingly made a joke.

The two men looked at him strangely, as if he just pulled an elephant out of his jacket pocket. They hardly ever heard Mac laugh, much less make an actual joke. The new comer to their group just gave a delightful laugh.

"No. You are sleeping in your own bed." He led her and they stopped at a door next to his master bedroom. "And your own room." He added.

At first she couldn't understand what he meant. Then she noticed him looking for something in his pockets. He took a few keys out, then began to unlock the door they were standing in front of.

"Close your eyes." he told her.

"What?" she asked.

He then pulled her close. He put her in between him and the door and covered her eyes with his left hand, his other hand carrying her suitcase. The sudden movement made her giggle.

"Ok look for the door knob." He told her.

"How can I?" she asked. "I can't see."

"Hey, stop being such a smart mouth." he playfully teased.

"Well I know where I got that from." She quipped.

The statement caused the other two to suppress a laugh, with clear grins. The other man just glared at his two coworkers. The young lady just smiled. Though she couldn't see, she knew fully well that she made the other two men laugh.

"Just open the door."

She blindly reached for the doorknob, feeling the door in front of her. She felt cold metal against her fingertips and knew she found what she was searching for. She turned the knob and opened the door.

"The light switch is to your left." He informed her.

"What's the point of turning it on if I can't see?" she said impishly.

This caused another chuckle from the other two men with the father and daughter.

"Dan," the taller man called him out. "She is your kid." He added suppressing another laugh.

He only glared at him more. "Shut up Don."

"Click." The light switch was turned on. The room they were in front of was now drench in a bright but soft light. The other two officers couldn't see what was inside the room, neither could the child who had her father's hand covering her eyes.

Slowly, he took his hand away. Her eyes were still closed, but some light passed through her eyelids. She knew she was able to look, but she felt the need to ask.

"May I open my eyes now?"

"Open them." He allowed her.

She opened her eyes and she was struck by what she saw. "Oh My God!" Was all she said.


	7. Chapter 7

It was a bedroom. It was her room. She knew it was made for her. It wasn't as big as her room in the penthouse, but that didn't concern her. What got her attention was the total feel of the room. It felt like home. The walls were covered in soft lemon yellow paint. The linings were white. There was bookshelf against he wall adjacent with the door. Then there was a small fluffy bed with baby blue sheets, a blanket on the foot and pillows against the headboard. There was a nightstand next to it with a lamp and a picture frame with a picture of her and Danny. On the opposite side was a desk with a desk lamp and a few writing materials and another picture of them. Then she noticed a dresser and a door on the furthest side of the room, she guessed was a closet. This was a completely different space compared to the macho and mature atmosphere of the rest of the apartment.

She finally took a step forward, walking into her room. The carpet was in a mute purple color. She walked to the bookshelf filled with titles she recognized. They were all names of books she mentioned to him. She turned him, but finally noticed the wall opposite her bed.

It was a beautiful sight that made her utterly speechless. She could only approach the work of art. The wall was a full mural. On it was painted a gorgeous scenic view of a cliff with old buildings and villa. The bottom of the cliff was a strip of white beach, the peaceful blue sea. Then completed by a sunset on the corner of the wall.

"Did I get you there?" the familiar deep raspy voice asked her.

She didn't turn around. She kept staring at the breathtakingly painted wall.

"Only you ever could." She answered. "Is that?"

"If we could run away together, I'd only take you there." He replied, walking towards her from behind. "But right now, this has got to do."

"Who needs a vacation?" she exclaimed. "When you've got Tuscany in your very room."

He smiled. This was the only thing he's ever wanted to do for her, to make her happy.

"Did you paint this?"

"Ah… yeah. Sorry if it's amateurish. That's exactly what I am."

"Dad, you're a great painter, very talented."

He shouldn't believe her, but she couldn't not. She was his daughter.

She began to look around the room, exploring her new surroundings. She looked at the desk. She noticed that the picture was of them in Connie Island. It was in the photo booth. They had to have disguises so no one would recognize them. There was a new diary with pens ready for her to write as much as she wanted.

"What's in here?" she asked noticing the door near by.

Not waiting for an answer she opened the door.

"Wait, that's not ready yet" he the younger CSI exclaimed.

It was a closet, a filled closet to be exact. She could believe it. It wasn't as big as her closet as in "The Alexander" but she noticed that everything was new, and she liked a lot of them. She couldn't believe that her dad would actually go to a store to buy clothes for a 13-yr. old girl.

"Are these mine?" she asked him, finally looking at him.

"Yeah…" he said reluctantly, as if he was caught hiding a surprise. "I can't guarantee that you'll like all of them. I just guessed what you might like, from what you normally wore, and yaya Berting helped me out by telling me you're sizes."

She looked back into the closet. She had to admit it, but not out loud, she was impress. She did like a lot of the clothes he picked out for her. Some where a little conservative, like a father would choose for a young daughter, but they were in colors she really liked. They were in the style she liked. Maybe the salesladies liked him and helped him out with the shopping.

"I would have paid good money to see tough Danny Messer buying clothes in Gap or Forever 21" She teased him.

The two other men chuckled, but they did it discreetly. They didn't want to disturb the father daughter bonding. They really liked looking at them. It was refreshing to see their friend like this. He was so at ease with her. It was like human nature for him to be like this. They've seen him like this a few times during at work. It was like as natural as breathing, but over the years the whole politics of the job decreased initial comfort he had. Now, it was like seeing Danny how they always wanted him to be; happy.

They also were starting to like the kid a lot. It was unmistakable that she had an affect on their friend, but as they observed her. She did bear similarities to her their co-worker. Mac already noticed they shared the same eye color, something he would usually dismiss as coincidence, but not this time. Other than their eye color, they physically didn't look alike, but they did act like one another.

They didn't have any physical evidence, but their instincts pointed them to what they were seeing with their eyes right this minute; Danny Messer is the biological father of Rubella Ruiz-Cooper.

"I haven't bought you any shoes." The father shyly admitted to his daughter. "Wasn't sure about those."

Her attention was now drawn to the drawers next to the closet. She walked towards it and moved to open them.

"What's in here?" she asked. Then opened the top drawer.

Her dad moved to protest, but stopped when she already opened it.

She looked at the drawer's contents with shock, embarrassment and a hint of humor. She didn't know what to say, at first, but instead of laughing out loud she just blurted out…

"You couldn't buy me shoes." She first said plainly. "But you could by me bras and panties."

"Now wait a minute." He strongly replied.

He walked to the other side of the drawers to face her. Then finally looking at what was inside them.

"Yaya Berting bought you those." He corrected her. "I'm not secure enough to buy you those."

"OK." She said playfully. Then picked up a box from inside the compartment. "Then I guess she also bought the tampons."

She thought she was right, but the look on her father's face proved her otherwise. He just had this out-of-words expression on his face, just mumbling not really capable of explaining, and he couldn't look at her straight in the eye.

"Oh my God! Dad?" she looked at him unbelievably. "Did you?"

"She just told me what brand you used." He finally admitted, not really sure why it was difficult telling her.

"Wow." She said, looking at the box. "Now I'm really impress."

"I just wanted you to have whatever you might need." He explained. "I wanted to be able to provide you with everything you need… I mean I'm your dad. I'm suppose to do that."

The last statement struck her. It made her feel fuzzy inside. She really liked the effort Danny's been showing to be a dad to her. She wasn't even sure he'd acknowledge her when she found him, let alone worry about how he was with her.

She put her hand on his shoulder and gave him an encouraging squeeze. He looked at her, who was giving him a warm smile. She noticed that he had his glasses hanging on his shirt the whole time she was here. She took them and put them on him. Then cupped his face like he's been doing for almost a year.

"You're doing fine." She reassured him.

Apart from I love you, those were the most beautiful words he's ever heard from her. It just felt like a confirmation of what he's been doing for the past few months. He felt like he was flying blind. He didn't know what he was doing, or what he should be doing. It was almost like being in that delivery room that night 13 years ago. It was scary, but it was worth it to have her here and be able to hear such simple yet sincere words from her.

He notices her sudden languidness. He knew it was because she needed to get some rest. He tenderly led her to her bed and put her on it.

It was just big enough for her. It was soft and cozy. The blue sheets reminded her of the sky and the pillow fluffy clouds. The only pillow different was a bright pink one that was shaped like a heart. He cuddled that and Danno her stuffed elephant as her dad began to tuck her in. He covered her up to her chest with the blanket and adjusted her pillow to make it more comfortable for her.

He never thought he'd be able to do this again. In all the time they spent together for the last few months, he wasn't able to tuck her in himself. Only secret phone calls before going to sleep. The last time he put her to sleep by himself was the last night he had her when she was an infant. Now he was finally getting to do it again. He gently stroked her hair. Then gave her a kiss on the forehead and was about to leave, but a weak yet confident hand grasped his arm pulling him back to bed.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Daddy?" she whispered almost like a plea. "Would you?"

She didn't have to finish her request. He knew exactly what she needed from him, and he was more than happy to oblige. He kneeled on the floor, next to the bed. She turned to lie on her side to face him. The held hands and they stared into each other's eyes as if nothing else existed. He began to lazily stroke her forearm like the way she liked it. She gave him a comfortable smile, a smile that he could only smile back to. Then he began to sing.

_Beautiful girl, wherever you are_

_I knew when I saw you, you had opened the door_

_I knew that I loved again after a long, long while_

_I loved again._

His voice was soft and calming. It was absolutely surprising for the two officers to hear from him. They just never knew their tough friend, had a softer side. This girl was really able to bring out another side of him.

Though the last time he sang this to her was more than a decade ago, he never forgot this song. It was the only thing that could get her to sleep for the whole night. He found the song in one of her mother's cassette tapes she brought from the Philippines. He didn't know what it truly was but it was just another thing that tied the two together forever.

_You said "hello" and you turned to go_

_But something in your eyes left my heart beating so_

_I just knew that I'd love you again after a long, long while_

_I'll love again._

He remembered still singing the song after she was taken away from him. It was one of the things that he did to torture himself. It pained him so much to sing that song, but in a lot of ways it was the only thing he could do. It was the only thing he could do to keep his hopes up. The reality of it might only crush him at the end but hoping for the best was the only thing he could do to survive.

_It was destiny's game_

_For when love finally came on_

_I rushed in line only to find_

_That you were gone._

The anguish he felt on that last day he was ever in the Philippines was still so fresh in his memory. It happened so long ago but, being lied to in such a scale was so painful. He was lied to about his daughter, and he was forced to believe that the worse had happened. He thought he lost her forever.

_Wherever you are, I fear that I might_

_Have lost you forever like a song in the night_

_Now that I may never love again after a long, long while_

_I can't love again._

How he change the last few lyrics, really hurt her. She never thought of how painful it was for Danny when her mother lied to him like that. She could only imagine how it was like for him. He tried explaining it to her before. The closest thing he could describe it was actually losing someone. The thought of a parent burying a child was just unbearable.

_It was destiny's game_

_For when your love finally came on_

_I rushed in line only to find_

_That you were gone._

She asked how he got through it. His only answer was her, yet again. It took him a long time to recover from losing her. It took almost losing everything to realize something. He knew his daughter would never want him to be anything less than what he was. When he thought of giving up the only thing that he could see was her baby blue eyes looking up at him. Eyes that were full of trust, love and hope. He knew that he had to live up to them. He had already lost her. He couldn't disappoint her too.

_Beautiful girl, I've search on for you_

_Now all of your loveliness are in my arms come true_

_You've made me love again after a long, long while_

_In love again_

_And I'm glad that I found you_

_Hmm, my beautiful girl_


	8. Chapter 8

With a smile on her face, she fell to sleep. Her hair was in her face. In her arms she held the purple elephant he gave her the first time they ever met. He was still gently stroking her forearm. Staring at her sleeping figure. Her little body in the bed he bought for her. She was in the room he prepared for her, in his apartment. He just tucked her in.

He never thought he'd get to do this again. He'd been wanting to for a long time, but he didn't think he'd be blessed with the chance to. Now he had her, he didn't know for how long but he was going to take care of her as long as any parent would, a lifetime. He wasn't going to let this opportunity pass him again. He's going to protect her. He wasn't going to lose her again.

"Ehem," a soft cough from the doorway caught his attention.

They were still here. He lifted his eyes and saw his two good friends smiling as they waited for him. He almost forgot about them. He even thought they might have left already. He was so consumed with Bella he thought they were already alone.

He gave an apologetic look. Moved to stand up. His sudden movements caused her to stir just a bit. It was like she felt him leaving, asking him to stay. He honestly wanted to, but seeing Mac and Don wouldn't be here for no good reason. So he went and took the shirt of his that she brought with her, she had left it on the desk. He took it and placed it to her slumbering body. She quickly smiled and took the article of clothing. He only smirked remembering her earlier comment "it still smells like you."

In tiptoes he quietly walked across. When he got to the door, he motioned for the two to move to the living room. He gently closed the door, but not before giving his sleeping daughter one last look. He closed the door behind him and walked to the living room, where his co-workers were waiting for him.

He found the detective sitting in one of the armchairs. His boss was standing, almost nervously. He knew it was because he had to say something, which he expected considering the current situation.

He walked in and the two just smiled at him. The man sitting down had a stupid smirk. His boss' worried brow even softened when he entered the room. Not really knowing why, he asked them. "What is it?"

They looked at each other, as if the answer was way to obvious.

"You're still smiling." The younger man in his seat informed him.

He hadn't realized that. His face was actually starting to hurt from all the smiling he was doing. He guessed it was because there was a very good reason for him to smile, and she was sleeping soundly in the room down the hall.

"You would be too." He replied with a snigger.

He walked towards the two. Their faces were in a confused but happy expression, struggling to find the proper words to say to them.

"Listen," he started. "I don't know what you did. I don't know how or why, but thank you."

"We didn't do it for you Danny." The older man corrected him.

The other man just gave him a quizzical look, asking for an explanation.

"I told Mr. Cooper that his step-daughter's safety was our main priority." He explained. "I can't think of anyone else who could protect her as good as you."

He couldn't believe his ears. The great Mac Taylor, at this moment, trusted his instincts more than his logic. He could seriously get himself in deep shit. He's been in some in the past, especially with Internal Affairs. He wouldn't just risk going through all that again. He didn't know why exactly, but doing this showed a lot of trust in him. After what they've been through, this bit of trust between them meant a lot to him.

"And unfortunately," He cut in, the tone of his voice becomes more staid. "We also think she really needs to be protected right about now." The last part said with grim tone.

"Huh?" not really what his friend meant. Whatever it was, it sounded very serious.

He looked at his boss who nodded to the coach silently asking him to take a seat. He complies, walks around the coffee table and sits at one end, the closest to his already seated friend. The other man followed him and sat in the middle of the sofa, trapping the younger CSI between the two of them. Their actions stiff and a bit of tension in the air, meaning this was going to be more serious.

"What are you guys talking about?" he finally asked the two.

"Dan," The man in the armchair takes a deep breath. He leans forward, almost like he was about to share a secret to him, a grave secret. "We've got reason to believe that Rubella was the suspects' target."

The news hit him like a Greyhound bus. He couldn't believe it. He didn't want to believe it.

"What?" the father asked breathlessly.

"We checked her bedroom back in the hotel." The marine calmly explains. "We found 5 shots through the bed, clear kill shots. Whoever made them was trying to kill whoever was suppose to sleep there."

He heard them both, but he didn't want to listen. To hear that his daughter didn't only come close to danger but actually being chased by it is an absolutely frightening thing. He just found her now someone was out to get her. Why? The thought of reliving the pain he went through a decade ago wasn't even the scariest thing. The thought that some nut was out there trying to kill her scared the living shit out of him.

"Danny?" the older man pulls him back to the present. "Are you ok?"

"Am I ok?" he asked as if he couldn't believe he just ask him that. "No, I'm not ok."

The young blonde man stood up. He walks in a pacing rhythm. His hands didn't really know where to go; first his hips, the back of his neck and practically pulling his own hair. He paces back and forth.

"How would you feel if you were just told that your daughter's life is in danger?" he exclaimed in as nervous voice.

The two other men stood to their feet. Their hands in front of them, in a calming gesture to their jumpy friend.

"Calm down Dan." His boss said.

"Calm down?" he asked. "How can possibly I calm down? My daughter is some freaking killer's target." He continued pacing.

"Dan please." He pleaded with his friend.

"What?" he asked rhetorically. "How else could I react?"

His whole being jumped from blissfully happy to furious nerves. His mind going a mile a minute. Questions; Who? What? Why? How could anyone do this? Who ever this son of a bitch wasn't going to get away with anything? No one was going to get her, no one.

The other blue eyed man walks in front of the tense wreck, stopping him in his tracks. He grabbed him by the shoulders. Pulled him enough to get him to look him in the eye, finally getting his attention.

"Danny… look at me." He informed him. "We know you're scared. You have every right to be. And we won't be able to understand what kind of hell you're going through right now. But you have to settle down. We need you right now… she needs you."

This finally makes the other man calm down a bit.

"They haven't gotten her yet." The other man across from them says as he approached the younger men. "And they won't even get chance to come within 50 feet from her while we're here."

"Whoever this bastard is…" the younger man started. "They didn't get to her. She's safely tucked in bed. She's with you. She's safe."

"And we're going to keep her safe." The marine added.

He calmed down a bit more. He realized that they were right. He had to relax. He won't be any help as a worried wreck. He needed to settle down. He need to find whomever this person could be. He needed to concentrate on keeping Bella safe. He couldn't do that if he wasn't thinking straight.

"You're right." He ended the pause. "I'm sorry."

Their tension eases a bit. All three men felt much better. The weight of the news was now off their shoulders. The young man slowly but surely keeping a tight hold of his self control for the betterment of the present. This wasn't the time to lose their heads. They needed to work. They knew how delicate the situation was, but they should still approach it like a case.

"Danny," The other blue eyed man catches calls out to him. "We need to ask you a couple of things."

"We need you to answer a couple of questions." The green-eyed man reaches for the bespectacled man's shoulder. "… about Ruby."

The mention of her name said so casually made him sigh. The two other men gently led him to the sofa they were sitting on earlier. They take the exact same seats as before. The two guests waited for their friend to feel comfortable enough to talk about this.

"Ok." He breaks his silence. "Like, what I told Don. Elsie, Elsa Ruiz, and I knew each other. It was 14 years ago. I was just a starting out and she was just this new girl in Chinatown, fresh from the Philippines. We met a couple of times and got together after a while. Then a week later she shows up and tells me that she's pregnant. The next day she moves in with me."

"Wait a minute," the man in the armchair interrupts. "Just like that, were you sure it was yours?"

"Maybe… but at the time no." he answers. "I didn't know if she was lying to me or not."

"So, why'd you decided to help her?" the older man asked.

"Because she needed me." He answered plainly. "I mean, I shouldn't have decided so drastically. I wasn't even sure why I did it at the time. I just knew that I was with her and she didn't have anyone else, at least not while she's pregnant. I just… I knew it was going to be tough and I may even regret it. But I knew I'd regret it even more if I thought that their were some possibility that she was carrying my kid and I was too much of an asshole to do anything to help as a father."

"So you agreed to be there for her even if you weren't sure?" the younger man stated more than he questioned.

"Well, I was scared too." The young man had to admit. "I was alone at the time. I left home for the academy. I barely talked to my mommy, let alone Pops or Louie. I just… I realized how important family was. I didn't want to lose family again."

It was another layer to their good friend's private life. Both men felt that this was the first time he's ever talked about this. His past has always been a touchy subject for him, this must be the worst circumstances to open up about his family.

"What happened next?" His boss asked him.

"Well, at first she was uneasy. She didn't want to be a burden to me too. So we made a promise, I'll help her until she gave birth. Then we find out if I really was the dad. Then take it from there." He explained. "But I would have still helped her if it turned out I wasn't."

"It was like that. I went to become a cop and I stayed with her throughout her pregnancy. Then on the spring of '93 a little girl was brought into this crazy world of ours."

"You found out for sure she was yours?" the other blue eyed man asked.

"Right after she was born…" he answered. "I became a father that day."

He smiled remembering when he found out. It was a memory he's treasured up to now.

"What happened after that?" the man on the other side of the sofa asked.

"Yeah," the other man added. "What happened? Don't tell me you've been hiding her from everyone for the past 13-14 years."

"No," he replied. "It went ok for the most part. She was born normal and healthy, which was a blessing. It was extra difficult, she actually had the German measles when she was giving birth. It almost killed her. Thank God it didn't. I promised to marry her the minute we had the chance to, but Elsa changed. I don't know what exactly happened. She was tired all the time, depressed and distant. I just guessed that it was the combination of stress and hormones of being a new mom, plus she was still recovering from her illness."

"It was tough being her dad. Sleepless nights, always worried about her, taking care of her 24/7. It was the most difficult 7 months of my life, but it was also the best. It was worth it. I loved her. How couldn't I? Apart from being a cop, being a dad was the one thing I knew I wanted and could be. She's the best." He took a big sigh after his story. Tears of joy in his eyes remembering that time of his life.

Both men marveled at the sheer happiness in their friend's face as he gushed about her. They'd never seen him so enthusiastic over something or someone this much and for so long. They didn't want to stop him, but they had to ask.

"Why only 7 months?" the older man asked biting his lower lip afterwards.

The joy faded and sadness crept back into those aquamarine eyes. It was like you see the precise moment when the question reopened the wound in his heart. He took a beep breath and swallowed the lump in his throat, getting ready to tell them the sad ending to his story.

"One day, 7 months after she was born, I came home from the Academy training. I don't even remember what it was. All I knew was that I came home with a sore body and I was expecting a night with my girlfriend and daughter…" The wrinkle on his forehead deepened and that deep frown was across his face. "…But they weren't there anymore."

He took his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose. The tears started to fall. His hand covering the wet mess. Little sobs and sniffles escaping his sorrowful mouth. He rests his shoulders on his lap. Open hands holding his moist face, not letting his companions see him in such a vulnerable state.

They couldn't move. They wanted to, but it felt as if they were frozen, not knowing what to do. They've comforted strangers before, it was apart of the job. But seeing a friend of yours like this makes you powerless. It as if their heartache was enough to make your own.

He wiped his tears away. Took a couple of deep breaths, a snort here and there. He regains his composure and straightens up, but still avoiding eye contact with the two.

"Sorry," he sincerely apologizes. "Where was I?… uhm, I spent the next 4 weeks looking for them here in New York. I asked around the district, some people she worked with. Finally, someone told me that she left for the Philippines two days after she left me."

"What did you do?" the man in the armchair leaned in closer to listen.

"What else could I do?" he asked rhetorically.

"You followed her." the other man still answered.

"I left the Academy, temporarily." He confirmed his suspicion. "I hopped on the earliest plane to the Philippines. At first, all I had was her picture and a few names and addressees of her family there. I had no idea where she went. I went to Manila, Pasay, Quezon… anywhere she used to be I went there. I looked for my daughter."

"For how long?" the man next to him asked.

"I went on and off for three years. I left for the Philippines almost every four months, or as much as I could." He explained. "I poured most of my money to go there. Life was a little more shitty, but I had to look for her. I had to find her."

"What happened?" the younger man asked.

"'95, my third year of searching. It was my ninth visit." He continued. "I finally found out that she had a couple of relatives in the south of the Philippines. Mindanao, Davao city. She was working in a market place." He stopped, as if he hit a wall.

"Dan?" the older man touched his shoulder.

"Bella died." He said absentmindedly, like a zombie's chant. "She told me Bella died suffering a high fever cause of a bad case of Chickenpox and dengue. It was too much for her to handle."

They were stuck in an awkward pause, not really knowing what to say next. Then a dry and humorless laugh came from the young blond.

"She even took me to where they buried her, just so I'd believe her." He said sarcastically. "Can you fucking believe that?… well I did. I actually believed her."

"Danny, stop blaming yourself." The man adjacent to him touches his knee.

"She lied to me about my own daughter's death." He yelled. "… and I believed her."

He was crying into the palms of his hands again. Muffling insults of how fucking gullible he could be. The detective was squeezing his knee and the other man pulled him closer by his shoulders, encouraging him to lean on him for support, but he rejected it, and pushed him away.

"I did this too myself." He shouted sorrowfully. "I looked for her for three years. I finally found her mother and when she tells me she's dead I believe her. I fucking believed her. What kind of father does that?" He looks down on the floor and runs his fingers furiously trough his hair.

"Then I come back depressed and angry. I don't go back to the Academy. I almost killed myself… I couldn't take her death, but I believed it. I was an idiot, _nagpakagago_."

"Stop kicking yourself." His younger friend practically ordered him. "She lied to you, about your daughter's death. She even brought you to a fake burial. How could you not believe her? She lied to you; her fault, not yours."

"You were crushed." The other man picked up where the other left off. "You got upset. You were mournful… You acted like any grieving father would have."

He bowed his head, still not wanting to look at the two. He stared at the carpet as if he was waiting for it to grow grass. His companions words sinking in him slowly. He took another deep breath, wiped away any remains of his previous cries.

It took a while to regain the track they were on earlier. But they were finding out what they needed to know. For sure, they knew Danny was truly, at least at one time a father and again now. This was a sensitive subject they needed to tackle, but the child's life was in their hands. They had to know more.

"How'd you find her? I mean now?" the younger man asked him.

A lighter laugh came from him. He lifted his head revealing a smirk and leaned on the back to the sofa. He picked up his glasses.

"Actually," put them on. "She found me."

The two looked at him doubtfully, both with one eyebrow up.

"How exactly?" the green eyed man asked.

"I don't know exactly, you gotta ask her. She's a smart girl." Emphasizing 'exactly'. "One day, about a year ago, I got an anonymous email. It asked for some personal information for a prize. A few days later, it asked me about having a child. No one else knew, except for the hospital. My family didn't know, and none of my friends. I didn't really have many at the time. And I couldn't because Elsie wasn't legal."

The two other men leaned in closer to listen.

"I couldn't help but reply. I had to know. It could have been Elsie or someone that knew her, but I never thought it was _her_. I couldn't believe that it was her. It took some time. She just kept on sending me some information about her mom and her. Eventually, she called me. We talked and she tells me that she was moving here in New York."

"She explained to me that she wasn't expecting anything. She didn't want anything from me but the truth, no matter what it was. So we agreed to meet."

"Wait," the other blue eyed man interrupted. "You believed her?"

"Not completely." He replied. "But I had to know the truth too."

Both looked away for a second, trying to imagine what it could have felt like; to think that your daughter's been dead for ten years and then suddenly get emails from her.

"We met three days after she got here. She snucked away one afternoon and met me outside "The Alexander." We spent some time together, went to a diner. Then agreed…" he took a pause. "We were going to take a paternity test."

The two nodded slightly, showing that they understood what the other man was saying but not really knowing how to react to the news.

"How?" His boss suddenly asked.

"I asked Adam." He then bit his tongue.

"You asked Adam?" The marine repeated in a louder and angrier tone.

"Well, I couldn't do it by myself." He said defensively. "I didn't know if I could handle it on my own… Part of me wanted to believe her. Part of me didn't want to get hurt again. I couldn't find out first hand."

"I didn't tell him anything. It was on our free times. I just asked him for a favor. He didn't know, we only used the lab."

The older man backed off, settling back down. He clenched his jaw then relaxed.

"What were the results?" he asked the bespectacled man.

A wide grin was plastered on his face faster than the New York stock exchange.

"I was a dad again." He replied with a small laugh.

The gleam in his eye and the ease in his body was back. Knowing the truth and relishing the idea that his girl wasn't only alive but was in the room near by sleeping safe and soundly.

"What did you do?" the younger man asked with a grin, affected by the CSI's infectious enthusiasm.

"I became a dad." He answered. "At least as much as I could be. I tried to clear more time into my schedule, try to fit hers, so her mom and dad won't know. I gotten close to he hotel management tipped some of the staff. We did our best not to be seen, but we kept contact as much as we could. I bought her her own cell phone just for the two of us. I even paid the diner near by to watch for her when she comes in or waits to meet up with me. We went to little trips. Took her out for a bite to eat. Talked for hours, getting to know each other. I wanted to be her dad."

"Cooper's didn't find out?" the detective asked.

"They were busy. To be honest, Elsa was the only one we wanted to avoid, Bella has problems with her mom. Jeremy, from what Bella told me is ok. She wanted me to know that he was a good step dad. She even wanted us to meet, but we couldn't, at least not yet."

"Why not?"

"She didn't want to hurt him. He was a good step dad. She didn't have any complaints. She just wanted to know who her real father was. She didn't want him to feel rejected. She loved him too."

"Who knew?" his supervisor asked.

"Yaya Berting knew. She's their nanny/maid/cook. She was also like a real mother to Bella. Then there was Lopez, her bodyguard and tonight's victim. He was a good guy. He was good with her, protected her like a bear. I trusted him."

"No one else?" the older man asked.

"No one." He reassured.

The look in the man's face was of a little disappointed. The other CSI knew it was the face he's make when coming to a dead end, and knew exactly why.

"Mac, I know this doesn't look good for me." He told him. "I'm involved. I could even look like a suspect for Hectors death. I've got enough of a motive in the guestroom. And I was here at home, alone, when you called me. I don't have a solid alibi. If I weren't involved you'd think the father would make it look bad so he could have grounds to get full custody. I mean I'd think of that."

The man had to admit it, Danny really was a good CSI. It was a very good scenario. And he hated to admit it, he would have thought of that if it weren't Danny.

"But it's me Mac," the father said. "You know me."

"You're right. I do know you. I know you didn't do it. We'll find out who did and help you keep her safe." He replied.


	9. Chapter 9

She woke up from the best of dreams. She dreamt that she was with her dad and they were in his place and she was finally going to spend more time with him. She was in her own room, a room made for her, by her dad. Everything was perfect; her dad, the room, her bed that oddly felt softer. She looks up and sees something she's didn't notice. The ceiling was blue with puffs of clouds. The hotel ceiling didn't have blue anything. She looks at what she was holding. The hotel didn't have a pink heart pillow also. She sat up and looked around. Neither did they have; yellow walls, smaller bed nor a beautiful mural of Tuscany painted the way her father would have painted it.. That only meant one thing; it wasn't a dream. She fell back on to the bed smiling. She was awake in her dad's apartment, away from her mom. She wasn't dreaming at all.

Then she remember' something else; the nightmare before the dream. If this wasn't a dream that meant that everything that happened last night, really happened last night. She saw something, something terrible, terrible enough to make her scream to the top of her lungs. Her kuya Hector was dead. She found him last night. She was about to cry, but sat up as if the sudden movement would push the tears back. She stops herself from crying. She knew her kuya Hector wouldn't want her to cry. She wasn't going to cry. She made the sign of the cross, closed her eyes and prayed.

She prayed for her kuya Hectors soul. She prayed that his family would be all right and told him that she'll help them as much as she can. Then she prayed for her dad, both papa Jeremy and daddy Danny. She prayed that papa will be ok without her and that daddy will be ok with her. She also prayed for her dad's co-workers to find who ever did this to kuya Hector.

She opened her eyes after her little prayer. Then notices something else. She got out of bed and walked to the desk opposite of her. There was a small note. She recognized her dad's handwriting.

_Magandang Umaga Bella_,/

Good Morning Bella,

_Habang nagluluto ako ng agahan gusto ko maligo ka na at magbihis, may pupuntahan ka_./

While I cook breakfast, I want you to take a bath and get dressed. You're going somewhere.

Love, Dad.

P.S.

_Ang banyo ay ang may pintuan gitna ng kwarto mo at ng sala_/

The bathroom is the one with the door in between your room and the living room.

The note made her smile. She liked how much he was taking care of her. She felt a little spoiled, but she knew it was because he needed to make up for lost time. She understood. She felt the same. She listened to her dad's stories and wished she could have been there for him. She felt bad for just a second, then just reminded herself that she and Danny had all the time in the world left.

She fixed her bed then went to the closet and found a towel. She picked out her clothes for the day and laid them on the bed. She wanted to wear some of the clothes her dad had picked out. She still couldn't believe he'd go to all the trouble to do all this for her. With the towel slung over her shoulder she walked out of her room and went to the bathroom.

She opened and saw him. There, peeing standing up was a man. He was tall with dark hair, still a little drowsy, letting out a loud yawn. He was naked, except for a pair of baby blue pinstriped boxers.

"Oh my God." She exclaimed. She quickly let herself out and closed the door behind her before he was able to see how embarrassed she was.

He only heard her. He didn't even know that she was there. He turned and only saw the young lady swoosh out of the bathroom as she slammed the door behind her. His first reaction was of panic and shock, not really knowing what to do.

"I'm sorry" the feminine but slightly loud voice came from the other side of the bathroom door.

She was genuinely apologetic. She didn't mean to do something so stupid. She quietly whispered insults to herself as she started walked away from the bathroom.

"What happened?" The blond man asked worriedly as he came out of the kitchen and walked towards the girl outside the washroom.

"I didn't seen anything!" she said in a panic as she turned around to face her father.

Just then, the younger man emerged from the bathroom. Only in his underwear, he stood in the middle of the hallway between his best friend and his best friend's daughter after a very embarrassing experience.

Waiting for an explanation from anyone of them, he folded his arms and looked at the two. He sees his daughter tense up. She was looking at the walls, avoiding any eye contact and playing with her towel. So rarely was the good detective speechless, this was one of those rare moments. He was keeping his head down, avoiding eye contact and mumbling quietly as he scratched his head. Whatever happened a minute ago seemed to be something they didn't want to talk about.

"I'm sorry," She finally blurted out.

He was hiding his smile. He could always depend on his daughter's honesty.

"I wasn't thinking. I just thought that it was only dad and I. I thought we were alone." She was rambling. "Not that I don't want you here Officer Flack, I do. I mean why shouldn't you be here. I just didn't think you were here. I didn't knock first… I'm sorry."

She finally looks at her father's expression. Fearing what she might see, she was surprised that she only saw a warm smile and a loving look.

He walked closer and put his arm around her and pulled her close to him and kissed her forehead. "It's ok kid."

"Yeah," the other man added. "It was only an accident. I mean, you didn't see anything right?"

"No," she quickly repeated.

"Come on" the CSI grasps her shoulder and leads her to the bathroom. "Take a shower and get dress, breakfast will be ready soon."

She walks in and closes the door behind her.

The blond man smiles to himself again and walks back to the kitchen. The other man follows him down the hall.

"Officer Flack."

The man stops and turns to where the voice came from. He sees a familiar face poke out of the bathroom. Her expression was genuinely apologetic.

"I'm sorry, again."

"It's ok." He repeats himself and smiles at the young lady. "And you can just call me Don."

She gave him a look that seemed to say, "no I can't" and before he could react she tucked her head in the room and closed the door.

Not really understanding her expression, he just shrugged it off and went to the coach he slept on last night. He put back on the same clothes he had the night before; a pair of gray trousers and a dress shirt. He left his other stuff on the coffee table and went to the kitchen where his friend was cooking.

"What's for breakfast?" he asked when the aroma of whatever his friend was cooking hit his nostrils and reminded his stomach of how empty it was.

"Her favorite; Pancakes and some bacon." He answered over the stove. "Oh, and I made coffee." He added as he nodded towards the coffeemaker on the counter.

"Thanks" he replied, took a mug and went to pour himself some.

"What was that about?" the other man asked as he flipped a pancake.

"What was what about?" he replied.

The older man just had to turn and look at him. He gave him a look that the detective only knew as "you know what I'm talking about."

"Ok," he let out a sigh. "It was nothing really. She just walked in on me… while I was… using the toilet"

"That's it?" he asked with an eyebrow up. Then chuckled to mostly to himself, but his coworker felt he was the butt of some joke and pursed his lips before he took a sip of his coffee.

"I'm sorry. It's not you." The other man apologized. "It's just that I should have expected that from her."

"Why?"

"She's a sweet girl." He explained. "She grew up in the Philippines mostly under the protection of her grandmother. She's can be a little naïve and innocent. I mean she's smart, don't get me wrong. I think she's brilliant and not just cause I'm her father. It's just that in a lot of ways she's really just a little girl." He paused and seemed to reflect to himself. "I just like knowing she's still my little girl, in a way."

The detective only smiled back to his friend. He could only imagine what the CSI must be feeling right now. He just seemed to have this complete and utter joy within him. He's never seen him like this before. He used to hold himself back. Now nothing did.

The older man went back to cooking. He was still half-dressed. He was already in his jeans and tank top, but lacking a shirt. It made sense that he cooked first before putting his shirt. The exposure of skin lets the detective notice something new with his friend. He had a patch on his left shoulder almost the exact opposite position of the other man's tattoo on his right.

"What's that?" he asked, getting the other man's attention. "On your shoulder."

"Huh?" he finally realized what the younger man was asking about. "Oh, it's a nicotine patch." He answered.

"Oh," the other man said, reacting plainly.

"Yeah, I told you I was trying to quit, didn't I?" the shorter man asked.

"Yeah, just hadn't thought of it." he replied. "Since when?"

"7 months ago." He answered.

"Oh,"

"I try not to smoke when I'm with her, when I wasn't a lot, even though I wanted to badly. So, I just thought that if I wanted to be with her so badly I'd might as well quit."

He only took another sip of his coffee. Slowly he realized that he was telling the truth. He remembered his friend change in the past few months. Nothing drastic, but definitely change enough for him to notice. He did mention trying to quit. He ate a little healthier. He drank a little less. He wasn't around as much, and they hardly talked about girls just as much as they used to. He thought it was because he was with Lindsay, but again realized that the other blue eyed man broke up with the female CSI around that time.

"What about Lindsay?" he asked the blonde.

"What about her?" he asked as he turned around and placed another pancake on the serving plate on the table in front of his friend.

"I just remembered that you were with her for some time a few months back." He explained.

The other man just nodded and went back to cooking.

"Is she why you broke up with her?" the detective asked.

"No," he answered, shaking his head. "Not completely."

"Does she at least know?" he asked after a sipped of his coffee.

"Did who? Know what?" a sweet voice asked as it's owner walked into the kitchen with a smile.

She was wearing a pretty cerulean sweater her dad bought for her, which she found in the closet. Under the sweater was a plain white shirt, with gray jeans and a pair of flats. She gave both men a smile. Then sat on a stool adjacent the detective on the table.

"No one." Her dad quickly answered, placing a plate with silverware and a glass of orange juice in front of her. "Eat your breakfast."

Then took a deep breath, smelling what her dad had cooked for her. Her smile only broadened was she saw what he had placed on the table. It was her favorites. She had two pancakes and four strips of bacon on her plate. The smell just instantly made her hungrier.

"Hmm… my favorites." She exclaimed. "Dad you're spoiling me." She added, picking up the fork to dig in.

"Let me." He replied as he put the rest of the food on the table.

He offered his best friend a plate with a couple of pancakes and a few strips of bacon. Got some for himself and sat opposite his daughter. For a while only the noise of utensils against plates and sounds of their satisfied reaction to the food was the only sound in the room.

"Officer Flack?" she speaks politely.

He was swallowing his food as he turned to look at the young lady adjacent him, to his right.

"Would you pass the maple syrup?" she requested.

He looked to his left. A bottle of maple syrup stood between him and the other man. He took it and gave it to the girl. She takes it, giving him another smile.

"Thank you." she politely says.

"No problem. But would you mind not calling me Officer Flack or Mr. Flack? The only one I know who's called that is my father." He replied. "Just call me Don, or Flack."

"I can't do that," she said with a blush.

"Why not?" the equally raven-haired man asked.

"Cause she was raised better than that." the other man on the table entered the conversation.

The younger man looked at him quizzically.

"She doesn't just call us grown ups by our first names or just our last." He explained.

"Again, why not?"

"It's disrespectful." She answered for herself.

"Her grandmothers teachings." The other man added.

He only puckered his lips and made a face that said "oh I see." Then took another sip of his coffee.

"But if you want…" the girl added. "I could call you _kuya_ Don."

"What does _kuya_ mean?" he asked as he lowered his mug.

"Well, it's like saying big brother." She answered.

"Oh,"

"If that's ok with you of course?"

"With me?" he asked rhetorically with a smile. "Of course it's ok. Why wouldn't it be?"

She gave him a smile. The blond looks as two important people in his life were slowly getting to know each other. He hides it was he drinks his coffee, but he smiles at how well his two worlds were colliding.

"Ok. _Kuya_ Don it is" she says. "I mean. I'm pretty sure if I grew up with dad and everything went according to plan, I'd be calling you that by now." She added, thinking of how it could have been.

The statement makes her father think of it too. Recently, he's wondered of the many possibilities, so many "what-if's". The deep thought pushes him to silence for the rest of the breakfast. Leaving the other two in pleasant conversation, they talked about; Danny mostly and a few things about New York and even a few things about the detective.

They finished dinner and everyone tried to help with the cleaning up. But when Rubella tried to help, her dad just took the plate and glass from her hand. Leaving her curious, she quirked her head and looked strangely at her dad.

"I'll handle this," he says. "Go back to your room and wait for me. We have to talk."

She shrugged her shoulders in acceptance and walked back to her room, while the other men cleaned up the dishes. She waited there. She sat on the bed facing the door. The two came with in 2 minutes, guessing they just left the dishes in the dishwasher. The taller detective stood and leaned on the doorframe. Her dad stood a little bit closer and was giving her a knowing smile, a smile that she knew only meant that he had something else up his sleeve.

"Look under your bed." The bespectacled man told her.

She raised an eyebrow, but then slid down to the floor next to her bed. She lifted the covers and noticed that there was no under-the-bed. It was just more wood, just a part of the bed. Then, she noticed two bars on the wood. Within closer observation, she finally noticed what it was. It was a drawer under her bed, almost just as large. She pulled it out and saw what her dad's been hiding.

It was a drawer full of gifts, lots and lots of gifts. There were small ones, big ones, with ribbons and all wrapped up with different wrapping paper. Some were wrapped for a baby, some for a child, a few looked like Christmas gifts, some even looked like Hanukkah gifts. She really felt that she was being spoiled. None looked completely alike, but she noticed all of them had cards. They were all for her, from him, and next to her name was a date. A lot were her birthdays other's were some holiday in different years, all the years she and her father were separated.

She turned around and looked at him with a bewildered smile. He was pretty sure he surprised her pretty well. He was just glad that she didn't discover the compartment earlier.

"They're all yours." He said stepping closer. "Every birthday, Christmas and all eight days of Hanukkah I ever missed."

She just gave him a quirky smile, not really believing all of this was for her.

"Don't you remember?" he asked her.

"Grandma is Jewish." She finished his sentence. "I remembered you telling me a couple of months back. I just didn't think…" she was a lost for words.

"Don't get any idea." He teased. "You're not getting them all right now, not yet at least. But I'll let you open one today."

He sat on the floor right beside her. He looked in the drawer, scanning for one special gift he recently bough for her. He spotted it. He looked at her and nodded towards the gift's direction. It took a couple of failed attempts but she finally got the right one out of all the other presents. It was a small square red velvet box. She held it in her hands, feeling the fabric covering it. She looked at him, silently asking permission if she could see what's inside.

"Open it." He told her with an equally large smile.

She opened the box. Her jaw dropped. His smile grew bigger. She looked up at him and gave him an even bigger smile than jumped to her knees. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a big hug. The other man just hugged her with just as much affection.

The quick and joyful movements of the two gave the detective a better view of what was inside of the box. It was a necklace. It was a delicate silver necklace with a heart pendant with a couple of blue stones encrusted on it. It certainly looked pretty.

They finally loosened their embrace. She looked at him still with giddy smile and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Oh my God." Was the only thing she could say.

"Happy thirteenth birthday. I know I'm a little late, but I hope you like it." he said.

"Like it?" she asked rhetorically. "I love it. Thank you."

She gave him another hug. She looked at her gift again, now more carefully. She took note of every detail. The chain was silver with a simple clasp. The pendant was a heart. Three Aquamarine studs decorated on it. She traced it with her index finger.

"Read the inscription." He told her.

She took the delicate medallion between her thumb and index finger. She turned it around and read what her father had meant.

Along the underside of the heart was engraved with a few words.

"_My Bella. My heart."_

She smiled again, and gave him another hug.

The hug lingered a little bit longer than earlier. Danny wanted to remember everything about this moment. This is one of those times he just had to take a mental picture of for the photo album in his head. He cherishes every memory he has of ever being with Bella, especially when he's able to make her happy.

She takes out the necklace and dangles it a bit to see it sparkle under the light. The baby blue stones twinkling, knowing full well that they weren't just the exact shade of their eyes but her birth stone as well.

He takes it from her. He holds it by the clasp, silently asking her if he can put it on her. Her only reply was to hold her hair up like a ponytail so he'd have an easier time to put it on her. He does. She lets the pendant fall on her own heart and smiles at how it felt around her neck.

Accidentally, the man standing in the doorway changed footing loud enough for the man on the floor to break his attention he so focused on his daughter. He looks at his co-worker and best friend and give each other a smile. His earlier fear dissipating, knowing that she'll be safe in the good detective's hands.

"Bella," he whispers and nudges her to back off just a little bit. She does, just enough for the two to look each other in the eye. "You'll be spending the rest of the day with Don." He informs her.

She turns to look at the other man in the room. He was standing just a few feet away, giving her a friendly smile, which she returned. Then looked back to her dad.

"I know you want us to spend time together. I want that too." He starts to explain. "But right now we can get into a lot of trouble if your mom finds out that you're with me. So, it's better for you to go with Flack, just until everything cools off. Ok?"

The teen nods in approval.

"Ok." He smiles. "Now, I want you to be good. Don't give Don any problems, ok? He'll take you to the precinct. There you'll see Mac and maybe Stella again. They'll just ask you a couple more questions about last night, and I want you to just tell the truth. Ok?"

"Dad, I know better not to lie to cops." She quipped. "Especially not to Mac, after what you've told me about him." emphasizing 'him'

"Don't worry." He gives her a comforting smile. "He's a lot nicer than he seems. Oh, and I'll be in the lab for most of the day. Just call me if you need me."

She only smiles back. There's a pause that just seemed like the two were taking each other in. They were taking their time trying to soak everything about each other. It was the first time since last night that they were able to just realize everything that has happened in the past 12 hours. She only smiled at the thought of being with her dad. He loves being with his daughter, finally, but the frightening thought crept back into his head; someone is trying to kill his child. For a fraction of a second, just thought this just might be the last time he'd be with her again. He pushed those fears away and reminded himself that he, along with his friends, was here to protect her.

"Ok," he broke their silence. "Where's your bag?"

"On the desk." She replied.

He stood up, reached out his hand to help her stand as well. She stands beside her. He walks to the desk and picked up her bag and jacket. He walks back to her and hands her her bag.

"Ok." He starts. "You got everything?"

"I think so." Holding her bag.

He opens her jacket, making it easier for her to slip right on. She takes his help and slides her arms through each sleeve.

"You got your cell phones, both of them; the one for your parents and the one from me?" he asked

"Yes." She answers. "I've got them right here." She added pointing to her bag.

"Ok." He repeats himself.

They both turn to the other person with them. He was patiently waiting for them on the hallway. They walk towards him. Then all three made there way out to for the door.

"How about your wallet?" the CSI asked.

They were just in the hall leading to the front door.

"It's right here." She answers, pleasantly irritated by her dad's worrying. "I have everything."

The two; Ruby and Det. Flack, were just about to leave.

"Wait." The other man stops them, hurriedly walks towards them.

They turn. They notice the blond reaching for his back pocket and taking out his own wallet. He takes out $80.00 and hands it to her.

"Here." He says. "Think of it as allowance."

"Dad, you know you don't have to." she refused.

"I know I don't have to." he replies. "I want to." he insists handing her the money.

She takes a step back and shakes her head. He then takes a step forward and gently grabs her wrist. He pulls her close and put the money in her hand.

"Take it." he says.

She looks at it like she's never seen money before.

"While you're with me." He added. "Let me take care of you."

It almost sounded like a plea. She only smiled at him, but this actually reminded her of all the rest of the time they've spent together. He's always spoiled her. She always thought it was just to win her over. But now she fully realizes that it wasn't just about that. He still feels as if he needs to make up for lost time. He still feels responsible. He wants to be her father so badly.

"You're taking good care of me." She informs him.

The detective opened the front door and signaled that it was time to go. She looked at him and silently asked for one more second to be with her dad. She practically jumps to him and wraps her arms around his neck, giving him a fierce hug. He only hugs her harder.

"I love you dad." She says with a kiss on his cheek.

"I love you too baby." He replies kissing her temple.

They let go and gave each other one last smile. She turns and walks to the door where the taller man waited for her patiently.

"We'll see each other tonight ok." He added as she walked out of his apartment.

"Oh Don," he calls his friend, as he was just about to close the door behind them.

He stops short and pokes his head back into the apartment.

"Yeah Dan?" he questioned.

He looks at his friend. His hands were on his hips and with a clenched jaw. He was biting his lips. His baby blue eyes more alive with worry and fright behind his glasses. Just by looking at him, the detective didn't need an answer. He knew what his friend was about to tell him.

"Don't worry Dan." He reassures him. "I'll take care of her."

They give each other a one last polite smile. The blond nods in agreement. The younger man steps out of the apartment, closing the door behind him. The other man just stands there, staring at the closed door, still nodding to what his friend said.

"I know you will Don."


End file.
